The global antibody industry is worth 80 billion dollars and
relies heavily on animals to produce the antibodies that are used to detect the
vast range of molecules indicative of state of health, safety or the
environment.Scientists from the Universities of Nottingham, Toronto, Utrecht
and Lund in Sweden say millions of animals are still being authorised for routine
scientific procedures when there is a tried and tested alternative.
They add that the use of animals in consumer society is effectively 'hidden'
and products assumed to be 'animal-friendly' are mere ruse. Animal friendly
antibody production technique using bacteriophage viruses instead of live
animals is being overlooked.
The scientists are proposing a seven point EU led action
plan by the wider scientific community and biotechnology industry.
• The replacement of animal immunisation methods for
antibody production, including the import of antibodies and antibody-containing
products unless it can be demonstrated on a case-by-case basis that Animal
Friendly affinity reagents (AFAs) cannot be applied.
• An expert working group should be established to set up a
roadmap for moving away from animal immunisation-based techniques for antibody
production, in light of the scientific feasibility and commercial availability
of AFAs.
• Implementation programmes should be set up to facilitate
the transfer of establishments to the new technology. These should include
centres of excellence for training in AFA-based technologies to ensure that
antibody producers are fully supported.
• Measures should be taken to ensure that animal-derived
antibodies manufactured outside the EU adhere to European standards to avoid
ethics dumping in regions where animal welfare is less well regulated.
• The European Union Reference Laboratory for alternatives
to animal testing (EURL ECVAM) should extend its field of activities with its
international collaborative partners to include the production of AFAs and
their subsequent use.
• EU and national agencies who are committed to the 3Rs and
who execute EU regulations at an operational level for the commercial
production of cosmetics, medicines, household products, and food or to
safeguard our health or the environment should reinforce this action and no
longer permit the import or use of animal-derived antibodies and
antibody-containing products aimed to monitor, detect, diagnose, or extract
targets of interest.
• Subsequent reports from the Commission to the Council and
the European Parliament on the statistics on the number of animals used for
experimental and other scientific purposes should include data on the use of
animals for antibody production as an independent category.
Details appear in the latest issue of journal Trends in
Biotechnology. Read it HERE
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