The Swiss Transparency Agreement on Animal Research (STAAR), led this year by EPFL, has published its third activity report. Through internal training courses, various events, the publication of key figures and other activities, the members of STAAR have helped to further promote and strengthen transparency and dialogue on the responsible use of animal models in research.
The Swiss Transparency Agreement on Animal Research (STAAR), of which EPFL is a member and the lead institution in 2024 anbd 2025, was launched in 2022 to increase transparency on the use of animals for research. The 26 signatory organisations to STAAR agreed to openly communicate about their use of animals or their support of animal research, promote discourse with the public and the media, provide opportunities for the public to learn about animal research, and report on their progress in practising transparency.
The published annual report for 2024 shows how STAAR members are putting transparency into practice and how they are further strengthening dialogue with society.
Twelve institutions, including EPFL, opened their doors to interested groups, such as school classes, journalists and politicians. Such visits give the public a direct insight into the responsible treatment of animals in research. Additionally, eleven members organised lectures and symposia, to name just a few of the diverse activities undertaken by the signatories. Members also expanded their digital presence and communication across multiple channels, demonstrating that transparency in animal research is increasingly becoming the norm.
In 2024, one focus was on sharing facts and figures about animal research. Twelve of the fourteen institutions that conduct animal research published detailed data on the use of animals in their projects. More and more organisations also provided additional information on the severity degree in the various research projects.
The simplified summary accessible to the general public can be consulted here.