Dissemination Strategies: How Do they Influence the Uptake of New 3Rs Methods across Laboratories and other Boundaries? - A Report of a Workshop held by the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) Working Group 3a

Abstract

The European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) [1] organised a workshop in October 2007 to review whether dissemination plays a role in the successful uptake of new 3Rs methods. The main conclusions from the workshop are summarized in this report. There is probably sufficient awareness about the need for the 3Rs due to societal and legislative pressure and industry requirements. Also, there are many opportunities for gaining funding for research and plenty of organizations to provide information on the 3Rs although these tend to work in isolation. A point raised during the workshop was that the European Commission may have a role to play in ensuring information on all alternative/3Rs projects funded by individual DGs is co-ordinated and available in one place as it is currently difficult to trace these 3Rs projects through other means. However, the workshop identified a gap. This was the absence of a process and/or organisation/institution supporting the post-validation, implementation, and dissemination of new methods that would help ensure the rapid and widespread uptake of new alternative methods. The case studies presented at the workshop have clearly illustrated that what has been achieved so far is mainly due to the resource and perseverance of personal champions. This is not a very efficient way forward for the future. The case studies also illustrated that long-term investment in 3Rs is crucial to support 3Rs methods, e.g. in all three case studies the timescale from basic scientific concept to validated method was about 15 years. This not only comprises investment in research, but also in dissemination activities at various stages from research to validation, regulatory acceptance, and implementation. Since dissemination plays an important role during the post-validation/implementation phase and for regulatory acceptance, EPAA will seek synergy between the dissemination and validation and acceptance work strands and make sure that regulatory authorities are consulted.