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Written question asked by Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative) on Friday, 10 April 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 14 April 2026. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Monday, 20 April 2026 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Animal Experiments

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress has she made in developing regulatory guidance to support data-driven and AI‑informed decision-making.

Answer

The strategy sets out seven commitments to increase confidence in the validation and regulatory uptake of alternative methods.

On 24 March, the MHRA announced it will offer early regulatory review of non animal data, including data generated using in silico approaches, to provide clarity on how such data will be assessed ahead of clinical trials. MHRA is the first UK regulator to offer this service, setting a precedent which the Government expects other regulators to follow.

The Government will publish a delivery update, including the regulatory elements of the strategy, later in 2026.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
125662
Session
2024-26
Related items
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Animal experiments Artificial intelligence
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk