Netherlands National Committee for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (NCad)
The Netherlands National Committee for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes (NCad) is an independent advisory body that protects the welfare of laboratory animals. The committee does this by providing solicited and unsolicited advice, stimulating innovation and knowledge development and connecting stakeholders. Our goal is to achieve the Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (‘the 3Rs’) of animal experiments. We also support developments in research on animal-free innovation.
Protection of animals for research and education
The NCad is committed to the protection of animals used for scientific research and education. The committee has a broad, substantive and executive task and works on concrete improvements in the field of animal testing. The focus is on the 3Rs and the ethical aspects surrounding animal testing. An important task of the NCad is to stimulate the social debate about the use of laboratory animals, the development of alternatives and the transition to animal-free innovation, both nationally and internationally.
In its advice, the NCad takes into account the latest scientific insights into animals and their welfare. The committee advises the minister and the professional field, both upon request and on its own initiative.
In addition, the NCad brings together scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders to share knowledge and accelerate the development of animal-friendly alternatives. Both nationally and internationally the NCad plays an important role in the social discussion about animal testing and innovations in this field.
By sharing available knowledge about the 3Rs and ethical aspects of animal testing, the NCad contributes to a responsible and careful animal testing policy in the Netherlands.
Expertise, network and information
The NCad is an agenda member at TPI and supports TPI with its expertise, network and information.
Target images
The NCad advises the Minister of LVVN on possibilities and obstacles for researchers to conduct animal-free research and to replace animal testing. The NCad also stimulates and supports the development of target images, in which concrete objectives for innovations free of animal testing are formulated.
Advisory reports on the Transition to animal-free research
In 2016, the NCad wrote the advisory report 'Transition to animal-free research: About options for phasing out animal testing and stimulating innovation without animal testing'. The recommendations from this advice partly contributed to the establishment of TPI.
In 2024, the NCad published an evaluation of the progress of the transition to animal-free research and the impact of Transition Advice 1.0. This evaluation is the starting point for the creation of an updated version, transition advice 2.0, in 2025.
Target images for animal-free innovation
The NCad contributed to the development of target images for animal-free research in the fields of post-academic education, neurosciences, cardiovascular and immunological research. The target images describe the objectives for fewer laboratory animals in research of equal or better quality per research domain. Experts from different domains draw up the target images together, to broaden the perspectives on the subject.