Why statistics are important

In just a couple of weeks, the UK Government will release its Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain. This publication is a legal requirement under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and vital for transparency, in order to understand where and how animals are used in research and testing.   

But this publication is not the only way to find statistics on animal use in research.  

Ahead of the Government published statistics, the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) has published its own data on the use of animals in research funded by its member charities in 2025. It’s important to note that the AMRC is under no obligation to self-publish this information and does so as part of its commitment to openness on animal research.  

By choosing to do this, they are providing insight into exactly how and why their members use animals for research, further increasing transparency. 

The latest figures

The latest briefing covers grants awarded by AMRC member charities starting in 2025. It shows that: 

• 113 AMRC member charities awarded research grants. Of these, 72 charities funded research grants involving animals (64%) – an increase from 64 charities in 2024. 

• 556 out of 2979 research grants involved animals (19%) – a decrease from 546 grants in 2024. 

• Mice were overwhelmingly the most commonly used animal involved in research grants (77%). 

• Other commonly used species were rats (7%), zebrafish (4%) and pigs (2%). 

• 347 grants used genetically altered animals (12%) – a decrease from 352 in 2024. 

Beyond the legal requirement

Although this information is not as detailed as the official government statistics, there is one key area where the AMRC goes a step beyond: the information they collect and publish includes animals that are not protected by ASPA. Notably for 2025, that includes insects, which were involved in 3% of research grants, and roundworms, which accounted for less than 1%. Information on non-protected species is not a legal requirement, however the AMRC’s reasoning behind reporting on all animals is for increased transparency. By doing this, they provide a clearer picture of exactly what animals are used in research, regardless of how they are considered in law. 

Pushing for more

The inclusion of non-protected animals in published statistics is something that we absolutely welcome. Our main goal as a charity is to, as the name states, replace the use of animals in research. But alongside this, we also recognise that any efforts to improve openness and transparency in the sector are positive.  

One of our core policy workstreams is improving transparency, as it is vital to driving progress. The more information that is available about where and how animals are used, the easier it becomes to identify opportunities for replacement, support the development of non-animal methods, and track progress towards a future where animals are no longer used.  

Publications like this briefing from the AMRC demonstrate that going beyond minimum reporting requirements is possible for those who use animals in research. We hope this encourages wider adoption of more extensive reporting across the sector, including throughout the official statistics from the Government, ensuring that establishments are providing as much useful data as possible.  

If you’d like to find out more about what else we have been calling for regarding improvements to the statistics collection and publication, you can read our policy approach, and recent letter to the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Policy Unit.