José López Barneo
Professor of Physiology at the University of Seville and head of the Cellular Neurobiology and Biophysics team at the Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS)
Transparency in the use of experimental animals is an ethical and moral necessity. Fortunately, this field has advanced enormously in all developed countries, and particularly in Spain, in recent decades. Involving the general public in the rules of transparency in the use of animals in laboratories is not only a democratic obligation but also promotes citizens' interest in and support for science.
The ‘COSCE transparency agreement on the use of animals in scientific experiments in Spain’ sets out three initial commitments, which are well explained in the 2024 annual report now presented. These commitments relate to the establishment and enforcement of transparency rules and their clear communication to society. In addition, it is intended that the research centres carry out initiatives to promote greater knowledge and understanding in society about the use of animals in research. The institutions that signed the agreement approved a ‘fourth commitment’, which is to report in detail on a regular basis on the fulfilment of the three previous commitments.
The ‘seventh annual report 2024’ now presented shows data from a survey conducted to determine the degree of institutional compliance with these commitments. The high number of scientific institutions committed to the COSCE report is remarkable. The report is of a very high quality in its design and presentation. I believe it is a document that should be disseminated as widely as possible and discussed in all schools. It clearly shows the progress and modernisation of biomedical research in Spain. I personally congratulate the people involved in the preparation of the report.