UK regulator joins global call to replace animal testing of medicines

The MHRA co-developed an international statement aiming to replace animal tests at every stage of a medicine’s life.

Daily Alba · 2 October 2026 · 2 min read

Illustrative image of a laboratory with cell cultures and a microscope. Illustrative image, not a photograph of the reported event.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has joined international regulators in calling for alternatives to animal testing to be advanced wherever and as soon as possible.

The statement

The International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities statement was developed by the European Medicines Agency, the MHRA, Ireland’s regulator and Swissmedic. It sets a long-term goal of replacing animal testing from early development through to licensing.

Batch testing

It says the biggest reduction would come from non-animal methods for batch release testing, and asks regulators to approve animal tests only where no equivalent method exists.

Source & attribution: This original report is based on MHRA, published 1 October 2026. This is not independent on-the-ground reporting.

UK regulator joins global call to replace animal testing of medicines

The statement

Batch testing

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