Germany: Animal Testing Figures 2023

According to the latest figures published by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 1.46 million vertebrates and cephalopods were used in animal experiments in Germany in 2023. This represents a 15.6 percent decrease compared to 2022. According to the President of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Professor Andreas Hensel, the decline affected nearly all areas, including basic research and applied research. Around 59 percent of the animals were used in basic research, while 14 percent were employed in applied, so-called translational research, which primarily focuses on the development of new therapies and medications. 17 percent of the experiments were conducted for regulatory purposes, such as quality control of medical products and safety assessments of chemical substances. Overall, 270’000 fewer animals were used in experiments compared to the previous year.