St George’s is strongly committed to a policy of openness and transparency in every respect. The use of animals by scientists to find treatments and cures for medical conditions is no different, which is why St George’s staff who are involved in such research are proactive in demonstrating openness, providing information on the animals used in their work, and the wider context of why some important research questions cannot be answered without the use of animals.
The university signed the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research in 2014. Being a signatory of the concordat obligates St George’s to four main commitments:
Commitment 1
We will be clear about when, how and why we use animals in research.
Commitment 2
We will enhance our communications with the media and the public about our research using animals.
Commitment 3
We will be proactive in providing opportunities for the public to find out about research using animals.
Commitment 4
We will report on progress annually and share our experiences.
How each signatory to the concordat undertakes these commitments will vary. At St George’s, we endeavour to fulfil these four commitments in as many ways as possible, allowing transparency and opportunity for open communications with members of the public who have expressed an interest in research at the university. This includes public engagement functions, open publication of research, arranged visits to the BRF facility, and full and frank responses to freedom of information (FOI) requests, which are also openly available on our website.