Animal welfare

The use of animals is essential for the discovery, development and production of pharmaceutical and medical products, and it is required by regulatory authorities. However, it is also a source of concern for many people. That is why animal experimentation is one of the industry-specific reputational risks identified by financial analysts. They want to see evidence that companies duly consider this issue, and are also vigilant in looking for best practices.

Novo Nordisk supports the principle of the three Rs: to reduce, refine, and replace animal experiments. In the past decade, the company has reduced the number of animals used in experiments by more than 70%.

Novo Nordisk has a long history of engaging with stakeholders such as animal welfare organisations to find solutions for improving the welfare of experimental animals. We recognise that not all animal experiments can be replaced in the foreseeable future, but we will only use animals where no available and acceptable alternative exists. With our ongoing commitment to finding new ways to replace, reduce and refine the use of animals for experimentation (the three Rs), Novo Nordisk has been setting new standards in this area. One example is the state-of-the-art housing standards for dogs and rabbits.

See Novo Nordisk’s position on animal experimentation.

Due to a higher activity level in the discovery phase in 2005, there was a 22% increase in the number of purchased animals, from a total of 47,311 to 57,905, of which 97% were mice, transgenic mice and rats.

Total removal of all biological test types for product control was a target for Novo Nordisk in 2005. However, having achieved regulatory approval in most countries over the last decade, in 2005 Novo Nordisk unsuccessfully applied the remaining countries’ authorities for their acceptance of omission of one of the two remaining test types. Although the target to completely remove the last two biological test types could not be met, the dialogue with national authorities regarding these tests has resulted in a considerable reduction in the test frequency and thereby a considerable reduction in the number of animals used.

We are now looking at identifying a new test type which does not use animals for one of the remaining biological test types, and a strategy for removal of the second biological test type is under preparation.

Novo Nordisk is the pioneer of a new discipline called biosimulation, which involves computer models that simulate human beings as closely as possible. In the long term, biosimulation can lead to fewer and better experiments on animals, and fewer people will be needed for clinical trials of new drugs. Novo Nordisk is the only healthcare company participating in a new, EU-supported network of scientists working on biosimulation.

This page has been assessed by PricewaterhouseCoopers as part of its assessment of Novo Nordisk’s statement that it reports ‘in accordance’ with GRI. Please refer to Audit and assurance for a full description of the nature of assurance offered.