# Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (Text with EEA relevance), Article 13: Choice of methods

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

1. Without prejudice to national legislation prohibiting certain types of methods, Member States shall ensure that a procedure is not carried out if another method or testing strategy for obtaining the result sought, not entailing the use of a live animal, is recognised under the legislation of the Union.
2. In choosing between procedures, those which to the greatest extent meet the following requirements shall be selected:
(a) use the minimum number of animals;
(b) involve animals with the lowest capacity to experience pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm;
(c) cause the least pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm;
and are most likely to provide satisfactory results.
3. Death as the end-point of a procedure shall be avoided as far as possible and replaced by early and humane end-points. Where death as the end-point is unavoidable, the procedure shall be designed so as to:
(a) result in the deaths of as few animals as possible; and
(b) reduce the duration and intensity of suffering to the animal to the minimum possible and, as far as possible, ensure a painless death.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/2010/63/article/13 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2010-63/article-13
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.