Activities
UAR is a membership organisation with over 110 organisational members as well as individual supporters. It is funded by its members who come from various sectors including academic, pharmaceutical, charities, research funders, professional and learned societies, and trades unions - all of whom support the use of animals in medical research. UAR consider that animal research is vital to the future of medical research; former Chief Executive Simon Festing said "there are still many things we just can't do without using animals. We can't study movement or brain function in a test tube. We can't get computers to do things that are quite simple, such as catch a cough. It is about working towards treatments and cures for very devastating diseases, from hepatitis to Parkinson's."
UAR were involved in the development and surrounding discussions of EU Directive 63/2010, which harmonised animal welfare standards in labs throughout the EU. UAR have applauded the quality of welfare for animals used in research in the UK, saying that it is held to the highest standards in the world. They also run a speaker programme, providing researchers to speak at schools across Britain, as part of their resources for teachers.
The website provides extensive information, including statistics and videos, and news on animal research in the UK and beyond. In addition to the Understanding Animal Research Website the organisation has created AnimalResearch.Info a website that provides peer-reviewed, fully referenced information on animal research.
In 2012, Understanding Animal Research, responding to a small dip in public support for animal research, announced the Declaration of Openness with 41 organisations, including charities, pharmaceuticals and universities, promising to take part "in an ongoing conversation about why and how animals are used in research and the benefits of this". Understanding Animal Research has also been active online, launching the Science Action Network to "challenge mis-information about animal research" using social media.
Read more about this topic: Understanding Animal Research
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