The United Kingdom is about to mark a historic step in animal welfare: the Ministry of State has confirmed its intention to end licensing for the Forced Swim Test, an experiment that forces small animals to swim to the point of exhaustion. This cruel test, now recognized as useless and a source of suffering for rats and mice, will not receive new permits after the ones expiring in 2028 are exhausted.
During the Forced Swim Test, mice and rats are forced into cylinders of water with no escape route, forced to desperately swim and try to escape. The practice, in addition to terrifying the animals, often leads to their killing at the end of the experiment. Experts have repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of the test to develop antidepressants, underlining that the suffering inflicted does not guarantee real benefits for humans.
The impact of the PETA campaign
The change in the UK is the result of continuous pressure from PETA UK. Meetings with government officials, demonstrations and petitions with over 40,000 signatures pushed the Ministry of State to take a stand, marking a turning point in the protection of laboratory animals.
The reactions of the pharmaceutical industry
Many large pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and others, have already announced that they will no longer carry out the Forced Swim Test. The UK’s decision sends a clear signal to the global scientific community that antidepressant studies can progress without resorting to cruel and outdated practices, paving the way for more ethical methods and reliable.
Towards a future without cruelty
Although we can therefore partially rejoice, the reality is that the real victory for animals will be the total ban on experiments that inflict gratuitous suffering. The United Kingdom’s step represents a concrete example of how legislation, public pressure and corporate responsibility can converge to improve the lives of small animals, promoting a future in which scientific research and respect for life coexist harmoniously. But there is much, much more to be done for these poor defenseless creatures.
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