People and medicin5. Molecule to medicine. Animal tests

people and medicine

page A 1.8

Government figures

The government publishes data about living animals used in the UK for any scientific procedures. The data includes information on the numbers of animals involved and their species.

Primary purpose	number (x 1000)
Fundamental biological research	803.8
human medicine or dentistry	836.2
veterinary medicine	169.6
Protection of man, animals or the environment	153.3
Education	5.5
Training	1.4
Forensic enquiries	0.1
Direct diagnosis	47.8
Breeding	639.1
Total	2656.8

Table 1.8a. Procedures on animals in 1999 (000s).

Numbers of animals used in tests
	The table on the left shows how many animals were used in different types of testing in 1999.

Types of animals used in tests

The next table shows the different types of animals used in tests over the last 14 years.

	Year:	1987	1989	1991	1993	1995	1997	1999
Animal:	Year:
Animal:
Mouse		2017.3	1744.9	1698.9	1457.3	1454.9	1517.9	1641.9
Rat		866.3	882.3	881.7	819.7	694.4	636.7	567
Other rodent		178.6	171.8	152	138.2	134.2	103.3	81.4
Rabbit		109.9	113.4	81.5	70.5	61.2	45	41.4
Carnivore		18.7	21.4	17.6	15.3	15.1	12.7	13.9
Ungulate		38.7	34.8	31.1	33	55.3	60	63.6
Primate		5.1	5.3	4.5	5	4.7	3.9	4
Other mammal		0.9	0.2	1.3	2.5	1	0.8	0.5
Bird		273.1	252	226.7	116.4	140.4	120.8	106
Reptile		10.5	11.6	15	17.7	17.2	15.3	14.6
Any fish		112.3	77.5	132	152.1	131.1	119.6	122.4
Total		3631.4	3315.1	3242.4	2827.7	2709.6	2636	2656.8

Table 1.8b. Animals used in procedures since 1987 (000s).