ABOUT US

The charity, first known as the 'Society for Accountability of Animal Studies in Biomedical Research and Education', was formed in 2005 and was then registered as a charity with support from researchers who felt there was a need to address uncertainties about the value of animal research and the lack of sound scientific evidence for it. The charity then became known as S-A-B-R-E and in 2007 the trustees changed the name to SABRE Research UK.

The charity originated out of a dissatisfaction with the polarised positions in the debate about animal research, which was felt to lack quality and objectivity. While one side of the debate is seen as controlled by the animal research community who make generalised and unsupported claims about the value of animal research, the opposing side is occupied by anti-vivisectionists who make equally insupportable claims that animal research is of no value.

The pivotal position of the charity evolved out of this scenario and its aim now is to add quality and insight to the debate about animal research and to call for improvements in policy.

It was found that the standards for conducting and evaluating animal research are lower than those set for clinical research. While this situation is allowed to continue patients and research volunteers may be put at risk, funding wasted and better treatments not sought.

The charity is calling for improvements in the experimental design of animal studies and in the way animal research is evaluated. These measures should help to remove bias from the research. All animal studies, including primary studies, can and should be evaluated using the best available research methodologies.

The research community considers the systematic review to be the most appropriate way of evaluating animal research.

SABRE Research UK is calling for large-scale programmes of systematic reviews of all existing animal studies to be conducted in order that the value of animal research to human medicine can be determined. The publication of the results of such reviews will assist the transparency and accountability of animal research and improve safety and efficacy in the translation of animal experiments to human research.

Systematic reviews of animal studies are essential if:

• the value of animal research to human health is to be determined
• research volunteers and patients are to be protected from unsound research
• shareholders are to escape unprofitable investments
• expensive laboratory animal research that is unproductive is to be avoided

'At present, there is a relatively limited number of useful systematic reviews and meta-reviews that address the question of the scientific validity of animal experiments and tests. In principle, it would therefore be desirable to undertake further systematic reviews and meta-analyses to evaluate more fully the predictability and transferability of animal models (paragraph 10.39). We recommend that the Home Office in collaboration with major funders of research such as the Wellcome Trust, the MRC, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), animal protection groups and industry associations such as the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) should consider ways of funding and carrying out these reviews.' Nuffield Council on Bioethics, The Ethics of Research Involving Animals, Report, 2005

'Recommendation 4. As part of their ongoing programmes to assess the outcomes of their research, the major funding organisations should undertake a systematic review of the outcome of all their research using non-human primates supported over the last decade.' The use of non-human primates in research: a working group report chaired by Sir David Weatherall, 2006

"Systematic reviews are powerful studies used to sum up evidence on any topic."  Tom Jefferson - researcher - Cochrane Collaboration.

"There is certainly a need to develop new medicines for conditions where current treatment is inadequate but, in clinical trials, the wellbeing of volunteers must always come first." Professor Gordon Duff

Mission Statement

The charity promotes systematic reviews of animal studies (the published results of animal experiments) for improved healthcare. Systematic reviews produce better quality evidence necessary to assess and monitor the value of animal research to the promotion of human health.

July 2011

TRUSTEES

Susan Green DipAD

Cressida Harden BSc RMN

Vincent Moran BSc

Joanne Windeatt BA