New research shows public opinion supportive of animal research

Posted: on 15/09/09

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The latest public opinion research from Ipsos MORI shows that the vast majority of the British public can accept animal experimentation for medical research purposes.

The research on animal experimentation was published at the beginning of September. It was conducted on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in December 2008 and builds on previous work to present a picture of how public opinion has changed over the last decade.

Some highlights of the latest research include: 

  • Nine in ten accept animal experimentation to some degree, with just over half (56%) accepting the idea unconditionally, an increase of 24 percentage points since 1999
  • Just over a quarter oppose animal experimentation on welfare grounds, a drop of 12 percentage points since 1999
  • Only 17% support a government ban on all animal experiments for any form of research. This is down from 26% in 1999
  • Only one per cent of people think it is acceptable for an animal rights organisation to damage property, send 'hate mail' or use physical violence against those involved in animal research

The research also shows an increase in trust in the regulatory system governing research using animals in the UK. Only 30% now agree with the statement, 'I have a lack of trust in the regulatory system about animal experimentation'. This is down from 64% in 1999. The results are available on the Ipsos MORI website.

Last edited: 21 July 2023 08:50

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