UK Vivisection Study: Fewer Animal Experiments

White rats being used in vivisection.
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A new study in the UK shows a 30% decrease in the number of animal experiments over a 30 year period. The British government had been encouraging the three R's: replacement, reduction and refinement. The researchers believe that changing attitudes in the scientific community in the UK should be credited with the decrease in animal use, although they also cite advances in computer modeling.

Missing from the article is any mention of the actual numbers of animals used. Although the number of studies may have gone down, it's possible that the number of animals used has gone up if individual studies are using more animals than before. Also missing is any real analysis of why the number of animal studies has gone down.

Vivisectors and animal welfarists frequently talk about the three R's when discussing animal experimentation. But for the animal rights movement, the goal is the abolition of animal experimentation.