At the end of 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) commissioned a study into research on animal testing and animal-free research innovations. The motions for this investigation were introduced by members of the House of Representatives on 19 May 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The motions expressed the wishes of MPs to gain insight into a) how much money the government spends on research with laboratory animals annually; b) how much tax money laboratory animal centers spend on innovations without laboratory animals, and c) the effects of so-called „price incentives“ on reducing the use of animal testing. In addition to these motions, the question was raised whether 1% of the research money funded by the government for animal testing could be invested in animal-free research innovations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although four different sources were used for this study ([1] estimate of LNV, OCW, RIVM, ZonMW and NWO based on portfolio review, [2] estimate from public licensees based on their financial administrations, [3] estimate based on existing literature, [4] interviews with researchers and policymakers), the result is a rough estimate of expenditure in both animal experiments and animal-free innovations, because at present no organization systematically registers this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main conclusions were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n