Use of Animal Testing at RHUL
Dear Royal Holloway, University of London,
I write in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Please supply details of the following:
1. By species, the number of animals used by RHUL for research in 2021 so far, and the number that have died as a result of research in 2021 so far?
2. As referenced in the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals for Scientific Purposes, has RHUL always adhered to these standards of care, or have there been any reported violations?
3. I would like to request answers from 2 sub-questions in 'benefits section 16' of the Home Office's Harm–Benefit Analysis; A, what benefits have occurred from these tests, and B, who and how many will benefit from the work?
4. How many of the tests in 2021 so far have been medicinal (studying diseases, vaccines, etc), and how many have been simply educational (dissection, etc)? Are students allowed to opt-out of being either actively involved, or viewing, experiments or practicals involving the use of live or dead animals - without it affecting their grade or quality of education? As an educational institute, do you consider the impact of secondary resources (such as online videos or textbooks for things such as dissection) on students' education to be more significant than the loss of life?
5. Are you actively working towards reducing the number of animals you use for testing; are you planning to publicly release information on this?
6. Have there been any protests or acts of vandalism regarding animal testing at RHUL to date, and what were the consequences of this? Do you support students' rights to be morally, ethically, or religiously against animal testing?
I would be grateful if you could confirm you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Anastasia Carter
Dear Anastasia,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request below.
We will provide you with the university's response to your request by 19 November.
Kind regards,
Rachael
Rachael Pymm
Legal, Compliance & Information Officer
Dear Anastasia,
Further to your Freedom of Information request below, the university's response is as follows:
1. By species, the number of animals used by RHUL for research in 2021 so far, and the number that have died as a result of research in 2021 so far?
Both the number of animals that have been used for research in 2021 so far and the number that have died as a result of research in 2021 so far are as follows:
Hamsters: 36
Mice: 567
2. As referenced in the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals for Scientific Purposes, has RHUL always adhered to these standards of care, or have there been any reported violations?
Yes, Royal Holloway has always adhered to these standards of care.
3. I would like to request answers from 2 sub-questions in 'benefits section 16' of the Home Office's Harm-Benefit Analysis; A, what benefits have occurred from these tests, and B, who and how many will benefit from the work?
Benefits: Research at Royal Holloway has resulted in approved treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and progress towards future therapeutics and vaccines for other diseases.
Who and how many: people affected by all diseases for which treatment and vaccines are undergoing research at Royal Holloway. No estimate of numbers is available to us.
4. How many of the tests in 2021 so far have been medicinal (studying diseases, vaccines, etc), and how many have been simply educational (dissection, etc)?
All tests have been medicinal
Are students allowed to opt-out of being either actively involved, or viewing, experiments or practicals involving the use of live or dead animals - without it affecting their grade or quality of education?
Yes
As an educational institute, do you consider the impact of secondary resources (such as online videos or textbooks for things such as dissection) on students' education to be more significant than the loss of life?
The Information Commissioner's guidance states that, while a request may be phrased in the form of a question, "the authority does not have to answer your question if this would mean creating new information or giving an opinion or judgment that is not already recorded". The question above cannot be answered by referring to information in the university's records.
5. Are you actively working towards reducing the number of animals you use for testing; are you planning to publicly release information on this?
All work taking place at Royal Holloway has followed full due diligence, including regarding consideration of the 3Rs. Relevant information is published by the Home Office as required by law.
6. Have there been any protests or acts of vandalism regarding animal testing at RHUL to date, and what were the consequences of this?
The College declines to confirm or deny whether it holds this information under section 31(3) of the Freedom of Information Act, as confirmation or denial would prejudice the prevention and detection of crime.
Do you support students' rights to be morally, ethically, or religiously against animal testing?
Please refer to the College's Freedom of Speech policy, available here: https://intranet.royalholloway.ac.uk/stu...
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of this request or the way it has been handled you can request an internal review by writing to: [email address]
In line with the Section 45 Code of Practice, a request for an internal review must be received within 40 working days of the date of this email.
If following the internal review you remain dissatisfied with the service provided you have the right to appeal directly to the Information Commissioners Office for a decision. For details visit www.ICO.gov.uk
Kind regards,
Rachael
Rachael Pymm
Legal, Compliance & Information Officer
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