AWERB advice regarding replacements and alternative methods to animal testing

Dear Georgina

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request for information under
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Your reference for this request is
FOI2024/049.

Your request is receiving our attention and you will hear from us again
within 20 working days at the latest.

Yours sincerely

Freya Austin

Freya Austin, Information Rights Assistant

Information Rights, University Secretary’s Office

 

[1][email address]

The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, MK7 6AA

[2]Freedom of Information Publication Scheme

 

 

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Dear Georgina,

 

Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
dated 28 February relating to AWERB.

 

Please could you share the advice given by the AWERB to the establishment
licence holder in the last 3 years specifically regarding replacements and
alternative methods to animal testing. " We note that the university is
required by law ASPA Schedule 3, Part 2, paragraph 6 (4) to keep records
of any advice given by the AWERB.

 

I can confirm that the Open University does not hold the recorded
information you have specifically requested.

 

However under our obligation to advise and assist requesters under Section
16 of the FOIA, we would like to provide the following contextual
information at our discretion.

 

Minutes are brief and record an overview of the meeting rather than full
details of discussions that took place.  However your attention is drawn
to the following extract in the AWERB minutes ( AWERB-2021-01-M) which
reads as follows:

 

4.1        The Chair reported that [they] had attended the online NC3Rs
awards evening on the 8 June 2021.  The 3Rs 2020 Prize had been awarded to
[name redacted] and colleagues at the Medical Research Council (MRC)
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, for their work on human cerebral
organoids that could replace the use of mice in many aspects of
neurological research.

 

You may also wish to note that two licence applications were made to the
Committee during this period and are recorded in point 5.1 of
AWERB-2021-01-M and AWERB-2021-02-M respectively.

 

Alternative methods discussions are not recorded in the minutes, because
our minutes do not record discussion at this detail; however, it is our
standard practice to look at the cost-benefit analysis and the 3Rs aspects
of every new licence application/licence revisions, so discussions would
have been held on replacement, reduction and refinement.

 

The University provides general information about its commitment to
alternative methods at  [1]Alternatives and improvements | The Open
University .

 

Intellectual Property Rights

 

This information provided in response to the FOIA will be subject to
copyright protection. In most cases the copyright will be owned by the
Open University.  The copyright in other information may be owned by
another person or organisation, and this will be indicated on the
information itself. You are free to use any information supplied for your
own non-commercial use or private study purposes.  The information may
also be used for any other purpose allowed by a limitation or exception in
copyright law, such as news reporting.  However, any other type of re-use,
for example by publishing the information in analogue or digital form,
including on an online format, will require the permission of the
copyright owner.

 

Review

If you have any concerns about the way the University has observed the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act you may apply for your
request to be reviewed.  Freedom of Information Reviews are considered by
the University Secretary or his delegate.  Your request must be submitted
within 40 working days of receipt of this letter/email. Reviews should be
addressed to the above [2]inbox, entitled “FOIA Review”, and should set
out the reasons for the review.   You will have a further right of appeal
to the [3]Information Commissioner’s Office.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Daniel Webb

[4]The Open University logo

Daniel Webb, Senior Manager Information Rights  (he/him/his)

Information Rights Team, University Secretary’s Office

t:     01908 653994

e:     [email address]

a:     The Open University, Level 5, 217 Charles Pinfold Building, Walton
Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA

 

 

 

 

From: Freedom-of-Information
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 1:58 PM
To: Georgina Rednall <[FOI #1093986 email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - AWERB advice regarding
replacements and alternative methods to animal testing

 

Dear Georgina

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request for information under
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Your reference for this request is
FOI2024/049.

Your request is receiving our attention and you will hear from us again
within 20 working days at the latest.

Yours sincerely

Freya Austin

Freya Austin, Information Rights Assistant

Information Rights, University Secretary’s Office

 

[5][email address]

The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, MK7 6AA

[6]Freedom of Information Publication Scheme

 

 

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