INVITATION, 9-10 June 2022
- Creation of the TPI-Helpathon Hotel -
This is an invitation. You help is needed to create a NEW momentum in the transition towards animal free innovation in the Netherlands. New creativity is required to bring the transition further! And … can we keep the momentum going with the TPI Helpathon Approach?
We, the Helpathon Team, have plans to open the Helpathon Hotel. A place that helps you get into animal free innovation where you discover practical new possibilities to answer your research question. Became curious? Please read on and sign up!
Practical information
- Date: June 9-10th, 2022 (see program below)
- How: Hybrid. We can host up to 25 people online and 15 people in Mr. Lions Hybrid Studio in Amsterdam.
- Who: We have invited researchers who have benefited from- and contributed to Helpathons the past seven years, members of our renewal network, policy makers and politicians. We believe new creativity is required to bring the transition further. Once you sign up you will get the links and the address of the venue.
- Sign up: Please let us know if you want to join us by a reply on this email or tpi@gezondheidsfondsen.nl and indicate whether you participate on location or online.
If you cannot make it for the full 24 hours, please sign up for the Kick off briefing and the Final presentation.
» THIS IS WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING, WHAT DO YOU SEE?
We were invited by Jane Turner from the Safer Medicines Trust for the launch of the report: Bringing Back the Human: Transitioning from Animal Research to Human Relevant Science in the UK. The report makes the case that the UK’s system for funding research and innovation is holding back the discovery and development of new medicines and treatments to meet today’s health challenges.
Looking at our practice from the other side of the channel makes us aware of the merits of all the poldering efforts in the Dutch Transition Program (TPI). Even if the number of animal tests has not decreased significantly yet since 2015, our way of thinking has really changed. We always had the 3R’s and the official intension to reduce animal testing. But in the past, funds for animal free research were limited and you had to justify yourself each time you didn’t want to use an animal in your biomedical research. Now you have to justify when you do! And that is a big change.
In time this will affect the animal numbers. The less proposals involving animal testing that are granted, the less animals that will be tested. And as new animal free methods are being developed thanks to the large new funds made available, industry is starting to lobby to have them validated by regulators.
After the rumor spread that the Netherlands was going to phase out animal testing in 2025, the field woke up. Although the objective was revised not much later, the mere idea that this was happening had its impact. Our inclusive approach of organizing sessions, workshops, and working groups on how new research methods can take over from the animal based ones together with the perspective of a new national cutting edge research developments in the field of animal free innovation has led to a unique movement across the field.
Our Dutch inclusive approach needs both renewed political and organizational leadership to keep investing in - and scaling up - the new innovative animal free paths which frontrunners are exploring.
» Welcome in Mr. Lion's Hybride Studio
» Who are the upcoming leaders and frontrunners?
Looking forward to seeing you 9-10 June! Sign up by a reply on this email or by tpi@gezondheidsfondsen.nl
On behalf of the TPI-Helpathon team,
Kind regards,
Sue Gibbs & Pepik Henneman,