Emma Robinson

SGV Meeting 2026 · Scientific Programme

CHUV, Lausanne

• 24 November 2026 · 17:20The 3Hs Initiative: recent developments and future challenges
  Abstract

  Refinement encompasses the lifetime experience of laboratory animals and extends beyond specific experimental procedures. The 3Hs initiative was launched in 2024 and provides a framework that considers the lifetime experience of laboratory animals and methods that improve their welfare by focusing on the 3Hs: Housing, Handling and Habituation. The framework is based on two core principles: to minimise the use of physical restraint and to use positive reinforcement to reduce the aversive effects of routine management and regulated procedures. This presentation will provide an overview of the 3Hs initiative and examples of methods developed recently to support refinement in oral dosing and management of animals with head-mounted devices and requiring periods of restraint to facilitate scientific objectives. It will also consider some of the challenges faced when implementing 3Hs approaches.