Reacción a "Spanish centres make progress in transparency in animal experimentation, according to COSCE report"

The advancement of scientific knowledge, which is essential for the prevention and development of new treatments for multiple diseases, continues to require the use of animals in experimentation. It is crucial to convey to society that, in the absence of alternative methods, animal experimentation remains indispensable to find solutions to medical challenges such as brain and heart disease, cancer, infectious and metabolic diseases. As a scientific community, we are fully committed and obliged to ensure that this research is conducted under the highest standards of animal welfare, in strict compliance with current legislation.

The Seventh Report of the ‘COSCE Transparency Agreement on the use of animals in scientific experimentation in Spain’ represents an excellent example of the increasing openness and efforts of the scientific community since 2016 to inform society about the details of this research in Spanish scientific institutions. This report provides a detailed, rigorous and critical analysis of the progress made in 2023, highlighting the steps taken to increase society's understanding of the responsible and necessary use of animals in research. A highlight is the participation, among the 168 institutions adhering to the Agreement, of entities that do not directly conduct animal experimentation, such as patients' associations, but recognise its importance for scientific progress. This initiative is a valuable tool to provide citizens with a reliable and transparent view on the responsible use of animals in research.