Position statement on research involving animals
The Stroke Association’s mission is to prevent strokes and reduce their effect through providing services, campaigning, education and research. The Association does not carry out any research itself, but funds research in universities and hospitals in the field of stroke medicine.
The Stroke Association believes that evidence based improvements should be continually introduced throughout the complete stroke care pathway. Research must therefore be carried out to investigate and review all aspects of stroke care. Working towards this aim The Association’s strategy is to increase the UK funding base and research capacity for the less popular fields of stroke research. Priorities for funding therefore include research into the prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and long-term care of stroke patients. As a consequence of adopting these priorities The Stroke Association is currently funding research involving the study of people and populations, and not animal research. The funding of projects that involve animal procedures is unlikely to be a priority for the present time.
However, The Stroke Association recognises that studies involving people can be the final stage in a long process for some fields of stroke research. Such research is often only possible because of the basic knowledge acquired from research involving animals. Various advances in the prevention of stroke and in the clinical treatment of stroke patients have depended for their development upon studies involving animals. These have included drugs for the effective treatment of high blood pressure, antiplatelet agents, neuroprotective agents, statins and thrombolytic drugs.
The Stroke Association is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities and supports its “Policy statement on the use of animals in research”. This statement may be found at the Association of Medical Research Charities website.
