Animal research

We remain committed to open and constructive dialogue with stakeholders and others who have an interest in our use of animals in the search for new medicines.  And we continue to be active in the debate with governments, regulators and others who influence the development of best practice within a pragmatic regulatory framework that supports the continued delivery of safe, effective new medicines.

In November 2008, the European Commission published its revision to the EU Directive 86/609 on the protection of laboratory animals.  AstraZeneca, alongside the rest of the pharmaceutical industry, acknowledges and supports the need for Europe-wide legislation concerning the use of animals in research.  The original legislation was adopted over 20 years ago and clearly requires updating to reflect advances in science and technology.  While supporting the legislation, we will be contributing to discussions that aim to ensure that the new legislation strikes an appropriate balance between animal protection, research reality and patient needs.

The content of this page was externally assured by Bureau Veritas, February 2009