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British researchers W. Russell and R. Burch formulated the notion of the Three Rs in their 1959 book The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique, which argues that humane science is also the best science. The Three Rs are the Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement of the use of animals in medical research. (See Altweb for the full text of the book.)

• A Norwegian Inventory of Alternatives (NORINA) Database

  The NORINA Database is produced by the Laboratory Animal Unit, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, in Oslo.

• European Centre for the Evaluation of Alternative Methods (EVCAM)

  ECVAM was created by a Communication from the Commission to the Council and the Parliament in October 1991, pointing to a requirement in Directive 86/609/EEC on the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes, which requires that the Commission and the Member States should actively support the development, validation and acceptance of methods which could reduce, refine or replace the use of laboratory animals.

• Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT)

  The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) has worked with scientists since 1981 to find new methods to replace the use of laboratory animals in experiments, reduce the number of animals tested, and refine necessary tests to eliminate pain and distress.

• The Humane Society

  The Humane Society promotes research methods that have the potential to replace or reduce animal use or refine animal use so that the animals experience less suffering or physical harm.

• The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)

  Labanimalissues.org is operated by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI). AWI is a non-profit charitable organization founded in 1951 to reduce the sum total of pain and fear inflicted on animals by humans.

• Alternative Testing Protocols

  This site contains an extensive list of alternative testing protocols.

• Biomedical Research Bibliography

  A bibliography on alternatives to the use of live vertebrates in biomedical research and testing.

• UCDavis Center for Animal Alternatives Information

  The mission of this site is to gather and disseminate information concerning animal alternatives, not only to improve the well-being and quality of life of research animals wherever possible, but also to optimise their contribution to education and research.

• Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM)

  ICCVAM is composed of representatives from 15 Federal regulatory and research agencies that use, generate or disseminate toxicological information. The Committee conducts technical evaluations of new, revised and alternative test methods with regulatory applicability, and promotes the scientific validation and regulatory acceptance of test methods that more accurately assess the safety and hazards of chemicals and products and that refine, reduce, or replace animal use.

• Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME)

  FRAME's long-term goal is the total elimination of laboratory animal use, through the development, validation and acceptance of replacement alternative methods.

• The Centre for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternatives to Animal Experiments (ZEBET)

  ZEBET was established in 1989. The goal of this scientific institution is to bring about the replacement particularly of legally prescribed animal experiments with alternative test methods, to reduce the number of test animals to the absolutely necessary level and to alleviate the pain and suffering of animals used in experiments.

• The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs)

  The NC3Rs brings together stakeholders in the 3Rs in academia, industry, government and animal welfare organisations to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas, and the translation of research findings into practice that will benefit both animals and science.

• Alternatives in Education Database

  Contains around 9,400 entries. Can search by discipline (e.g. dissection), species (e.g. frog), or medium (e.g. software or computer.) The policies of various North American veterinary medical schools on alternatives are found by searching for "veterinary medical school record".

• Altweb

  The Alternatives to Animal Testing Web Site, was created to serve as a gateway to alternatives news, information, and resources on the Internet and beyond. Managed by the Johns Hopkins University. It is one of many gateways to info on alternatives in RESEARCH.