3Rs Working Party

The 3Rs Working Party (3RsWP) is a joint working party of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) and the Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products (CVMP). It advises these committees on all matters concerning the use of animals in the regulatory testing of medicines, with particular focus on the application of the so-called 3Rs principles - replace, reduce and refine.

The 3Rs stand for:

• replacing the use of animals with non-animal methods where possible;
• reducing the number of animals to the minimum necessary to obtain scientifically valid results;
• refining practices to minimise the stress and improve the welfare of study animals.

For more information on how the EMA and its 3Rs Working Party support the implementation of the 3Rs principles in the European Union, see:

• Ethical use of animals in medicine testing

Role

The 3RsWP's tasks include:

• preparing, reviewing and updating guidelines and concept papers
• European and international co-operation;
• liaising with stakeholders such as pharmaceutical companies, animal welfare organisations and national competent authorities (NCAs);
• providing training and workshops to assessors;
• providing product support on 3Rs-related issues when requested by EMA Committees, the Innovation Task Force and the Scientific Advice Working Party.

Mandate, rules of procedure and work programme

Mandate, objectives, and rules of procedure for working parties under the quality, non-clinical, methodology, clinical and veterinary domains

Reference Number: EMA/299541/2025

Consolidated 3-year rolling work plan for the Non-clinical domain 2025-2027

Reference Number: EMA/551442/2024

Composition

This working party is composed of European experts nominated by CHMP and CVMP members taking into consideration the best available expertise needed to deliver its commitments.

The current members are listed below, in alphabetical order of surname. 

Their declarations of interests are available in the European expert list:

• European experts