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BACKGROUND OF NACAAE-2018
The 3Rs principle, described way back in 1959 by WMS Russel and RL Burch, was the pioneer guiding principle for animal welfare in research corresponding to Replacement, Reduction, and Replacement. Worldwide, there has been a growing societal concern regarding not only the ethical aspect of the current methods but also for the need for more relevant, predictive and efficient approaches for safety and efficacy testing. This has driven a variety of regulatory and research initiatives including the advent of legislative mandate emphasizing animal testing as a “last resort.” Now, there is outright prohibition of animal testing for cosmetics. Alternatives with the aim of “fail early, fail cheaply” principle have allowed for a quick, easy, time-and cost-effective means of toxicity testing.
The cornerstone of new paradigm been emphasis on human relevance: recognizing the predictive significance and translational efficacy of animal models. 21st Century technologies based on human biology from primary cells to 3D -organoids to bioengineered “human-on-a-chip” are now available, which are adequately supported by the reliably predictive computational methods. The origin of the concept of alternatives to animal testing, the current state of animal experimentation and the range of replacement alternative methods in India and their progress toward incorporation into fundamental and applied research and education would be the holistically discussed in this National Conference under the aegis of the newly conceived Indian Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments (ISAAE).
The Conference aims to discuss the perspectives on the current state of practices and existing strategies to promote the development of non-animal technologies, at par with the other countries, to better predict human, animal and environmental responses to a wide range of chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The aim would be to develop a strategic roadmap to guide the future directions for the country’s investment and policy changes. The Conference will also offer platform for idea sharing with international experts of the field who have confirmed their participation in the Conference.
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