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Animal welfare

Originally, diphtheria and tetanus were treated with antiserum made from horses. However, years ago the antiserum was replaced by preventive vaccinations and treatment with antibiotics.

Previously, large numbers of laboratory animals were used as a biological testing method and for diagnosing infectious diseases. Today, more efficient and reliable laboratory techniques are used, reducing the number of laboratory animals for experiments considerably.

Types of animal testing

SSI carries out the following types of animal testing:

• Authority regulated control testing of vaccines for the purpose of ensuring a protective, harmless and safe use of the vaccines
  
• Immunisation trials extracting antibodies for the purpose of diagnostic studies and developing new vaccines
  
• Blood collection from donor animals for the extraction of raw materials for substrate preparation and for laboratory diagnostics
  
• Infection and treatment studies for the purpose of gaining knowledge about the infectious disease emergency and control.
  

SSI carries out animal experiments according to authorizations obtained in advance from the Animal Experiments Inspectorate under the Danish Ministry of Justice. This ensures that the experiments are carried out in suitable facilities and the laboratory animals are cared for and handled by qualified personnel. Further, the knowledge obtained from these experiments equals the stress to which the animals are exposed, and the knowledge is only attainable through the use of laboratory animals.

Animal species

20-25 years ago the number, of laboratory animals used, were almost three times as high as today, and included import of monkeys for manufacturing of polio vaccine. Since 1997, SSI has not carried out experiments on monkeys or used them in the manufacturing of polio vaccine. Today, SSI only uses mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, rats and a few sheep, horses and geese for animal testing. The laboratory animals are purchased from authorized suppliers.
It is the policy of SSI to work towards the development of reliable and safe laboratory techniques, in order to replace animal experiments whenever possible, to refine animal research in order to reduce the stress on our animals, and to constantly improve the welfare of our laboratory animals.

Laboratory animals contribute to our knowledge

SSI firmly believes that animal experiments have contributed with conclusive knowledge and understanding of the nature and prevention of infectious diseases and congenital disorders. Moreover, SSI believes that it is acceptable to carry out animal experiments, which will result in obtaining knowledge in areas where no suitable or approved alternatives are available. This applies to e.g. international regulatory requirements and to immunological research, in which the complicated interaction between tissue and cells in the intact organism cannot be copied in computer models or by means of laboratory techniques.