Initiative Yes to a cruelty-free future – a renewed attack on Switzerland as a research location. The popular initiative “Yes to a cruelty-free future” was submitted to the Federal Chancellery today. Interpharma is concerned about this repeated initiative, which, if accepted, would massively endanger Switzerland as a location for research and innovation.
In February 2022, Swiss voters rejected a similar initiative calling for a complete ban on animal testing with an overwhelming majority of 79.1 percent voting against. This clear vote made it clear that the Swiss electorate considers research and innovation to be very important for medical progress and an improved quality of life.
New initiative endangers progress and innovation The initiative submitted today pursues the same goal: a complete ban on animal testing. Such a ban would have serious consequences for the development of new therapies and medications and is a direct attack on Switzerland as a research location. As a result, it would no longer be possible to research life-saving innovations in Switzerland, as research on living organisms is essential in the development of medicines to ensure the safety and effectiveness of new active ingredients.
Research and innovation as central pillars of success For Switzerland, a country with limited natural resources, research and innovation are of central importance. Interpharma members alone invest almost 9 billion francs every year – 70% of their Swiss turnover – in research and development in Switzerland. Over the last 100 years, medical progress has helped to almost double life expectancy in Switzerland and to defeat or control many serious diseases. Animal testing plays an important role in this process as it is often the only way to ensure the safety of new therapies before their use in humans.
The pharmaceutical industry has massively reduced animal testing and remains committed to the 3R principles. For more than a decade, the research-based pharmaceutical industry has been working actively to avoid and reduce animal testing and to make it as less stressful as possible. A commitment to the 3R principles (Reduce, Refine, Replace) is at the heart of these efforts. The number of animals used in research was reduced from almost 400,000 in 2006 to around 147,000 in 2023, despite increasing research intensity in Switzerland.
The research-based pharmaceutical industry is committed to the highest ethical and legal standards in animal testing. Strict regulations and controls ensure that the use of laboratory animals is limited to what is necessary and that the welfare of the animals is always the focus.
René Buholzer, CEO Interpharma:
“Interpharma appeals to Parliament and the electorate to send a clear signal for Switzerland as a research location with the new popular initiative. This is the only way Switzerland can remain at the forefront of medical progress and secure jobs in research.”
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Sender: Interpharma Contact person: Georg Däredinger Tel.: +41 61 264 34 00 Email: georg.daerendinger@interpharma.ch Website: www.interpharma.ch
