Our research ethics approach
Lung conditions are complex. Our researchers are piecing together the information to answer important questions that will identify the underlying causes and find new ways to diagnose, prevent and treat these conditions. To do this, sometimes research funded by Asthma + Lung UK may involve animals and embryos. Decisions to fund this research are not taken lightly and only when absolutely necessary.
Our commitment to ethical research
Asthma + Lung UK will only consider funding research involving animals and embryos if:
- All other possibilities have been carefully and fully considered
- The research is not an unnecessary duplication of previous work
- It is likely to lead to essential information that cannot be achieved by alternative methods
Every decision is made with the welfare of humans and animals in mind, and every project must meet our strict ethical criteria.
Research involving the use of animals
Why animals are sometimes used
Through research, we have made major advances in medical understanding, and some of this research has involved animals.
Asthma + Lung UK supports the Home Office's commitment to the '3Rs'.
- Refinement – improving experimental techniques and procedures to minimise suffering
- Reduction – using the smallest possible number of animals
- Replacement – replacing animals in research wherever possible
How applications are reviewed
Each research project application must provide clear justification for the use of animals.
- Applications are carefully screened and reviewed by Asthma + Lung UK’s Research Review Panel of scientific and medical experts
- All applications are peer-reviewed by international experts to assess whether the proposed use of animals is appropriate and necessary
The research project must also show how it:
- Will help us learn more about respiratory conditions
- Will move us towards benefits for patients
- Adheres to Home Office welfare guidelines
Our standards and affiliations
Asthma + Lung UK is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC). We adhere to AMRC guidelines on research involving animals and endorse their position on the use of animals in medical research.
Further information:
Use of embryos in research
We do not currently fund any projects that require human or hybrid human embryos.
However, as a member of the AMRC, we support the use of human embryos and the creation of hybrid embryos when the research has the potential to make significant medical advances.
Stem cells
Stem cells are unspecialised cells that have the potential to become any type of cell within the human body.
By using stem cells as part of research, scientists can learn how conditions develop, since stem cells show how cells mature from their earliest stages.
Under strict regulations, human embryos may be created and maintained outside the body for no longer than 14 days to provide a source of stem cells.
Human hybrid embryos
In certain circumstances, the shells of animal eggs may be used to house human DNA taken from patients to produce hybrid human embryos.
How embryo research could benefit people with lung conditions
- Understanding how the cells of the airways develop
- Studying how lung conditions form and progress
- Providing new sources of airway tissue for people with respiratory conditions
Asthma + Lung UK has not excluded the possibility of funding this area of research in the future.
If this were to occur, we would take into account the views of people with respiratory conditions, healthcare professionals and researchers. Any proposed work would have to comply with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990) and receive approval from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.