Safer Medicines

10/01/2026

We come closer to a future where every patient’s sample can be placed on a chip — and the best therapy chosen, before treatment begins.

Discover how Organ-Chip models using patient-derived samples are advancing personalized medicine — and read three case-studies showing real-world impact in bone-marrow toxicity, neurodegeneration (ALS) and esophageal cancer.

23/12/2025

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We’re proud to announce our new “moonshot” vision for animal-free, human-relevant science! 🚀🧪🧬

Working through the BioMed21 Collaboration, our newly published policy paper calls for a big shift from outdated animal-based models to modern, non-animal methods that better predict how diseases and treatments affect people.

By focusing on cutting-edge tools like lab-grown mini-organs, organ-on-chip systems, and advanced computer models, it provides a clear roadmap to leave animal tests behind—building a future where biomedical research protects humans and the environment while saving animal lives.

Learn more about it here:https://biomed21.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/BioMed21_MoonShot_PolicyPaper_Dec2025.pdf

08/12/2025

The UK roadmap: it sounds good - but will it work? If the aim really is to replace animal experiments, then it will not work without much more attention to phase-out measures, particularly in the basic sciences. Read our blog:

On November 11th 2025, the UK Government published its long-awaited strategy, ‘Replacing animals in science’. Addressing both regulatory and ‘discovery’ research, it includes a range of measures to help embed non-animal methods across the research system and commits to targets for phasing ou...

04/12/2025

Animal testing makes all of us guinea pigs

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On this day in 1961, the sedative drug thalidomide was withdrawn from use in the UK.

Animal testing deemed it safe, but it was toxic for humans.

An estimated 147,000 pregnancies were affected by this scandal. Only 24,600 survived until birth, and most did not survive infancy. Those that did had severe impairments.

Defenders of animal testing claim that the tests at the time were not of sufficient quality, and that the drug wasn't tested on pregnant animals.

But this isn't true. Birth defect testing in animals was routine at the time, and even later testing revealed that animals did not develop the birth defects seen in humans.

Essentially, even more animal testing - including more animal testing in pregnant animals - would not have raised the alarm bells. Interestingly, animals did not even predict the sedative qualities of thalidomide - this was identified in humans!

What have we learned from thalidomide?

Essentially, we haven't suffered another similar disaster because we're now a lot more cautious about administering drugs to pregnant people.

But even 60 years on, animal testing is still used to predict drug safety, despite so much evidence of its inefficacy. We hope the tide is turning on this - we must learn from previous mistakes to prevent this kind of thing from happening again.

30/11/2025

The UK Government has (11.11.2025) published its strategy for “Replacing animals in science”, to deliver on a key pledge from the Labour Party’s election manifesto to set out a clear plan to reduce and ultimately phase out the use of animals in research. The Alliance for Human Relevant Science...

19/11/2025

Animal models of testing and research are giving way to better, more human-relevant models! The question now is how long will it take us to fully step into this incredible new future?

06/11/2025

It really is funny! Plus beautifully filmed and written - DO watch! Read our review here: https://safermedicines.org/blog_post/how-to-make-drugs-and-feel-great-about-everything-first-spark-media-september-2025/

Animal testing isn’t funny, but our documentary is!
Learn more at the link in bio.

06/11/2025

The Future of Science Student Conference provides talks and workshops for A-level science students. The response from teachers and students alike has been in...

04/11/2025

Wonderful to see you all there 😀 Thank you for the inspiring Alliance for Human Relevant Science literature 👍 Great to have so many Alliance partners all together in parliament!

Today, our CEO, Celean, and Policy Officer, Jessie, headed to Westminster, joined by Trustee Nicola Contessi Negrini and his PhD student, Rita.

They were there as part of the Alliance for Human Relevant Science meeting MPs to discuss why modern, non-animal research methods matter and the practical steps needed to phase out animal testing and research in the UK.

Achieving this goal will take partnership across government, academia, industry, advocates, as well as the charity sector.

Every conversation brings us closer to a future where no animal suffers for science.

03/11/2025

🚨 The UK needs a clear plan to end animal testing.

We’re encouraged by the government’s commitment to a roadmap - but promises alone won’t save animals from suffering in laboratories.

We need a strategy that’s bold, detailed, and driven by science. Other countries are already setting the pace. The UK must catch up - and lead.

As proud members of the Alliance for Human Relevant Science, we’re calling for action. Let’s make sure this roadmap delivers real change.

✍️ Sign the petition today: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/a-real-roadmap-to-phase-out-animal-testing

31/10/2025

Film review: ‘How to make drugs and feel great about everything’ considers the science and ethics of drug development. Our verdict: Well worth watching and even funny in places! Read our blog for more

The film ‘How to make drugs and feel great about everything’, by director Journey Wade-Hak and co-producer / writer Keegan Kuhn covers what will be familiar ground to many – the translational failure of preclinical animal studies, the adverse effects of approved drugs, the reproducibility cris...

31/10/2025

We’re heading to Westminster!

Next week, we’ll be joining our fellow members of the Alliance for Human Relevant Science for a special showcase in Parliament.

This is our chance to speak directly to MPs about the urgent need for a clear, ambitious roadmap to phase out animal testing in the UK.

We’ll be sharing our work, our vision, and our voice - calling for action that puts human-relevant science at the heart of UK research.

🧪🐾 Stay tuned for updates!