02781nas a2200325   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260001100043653002500054653002000079653000800099653002700107653002400134653002500158653002400183653003100207653001600238653002000254653001900274653001100293100002100304700001800325700001900343245013200362856004600494300000900540490000700549520188500556022001402441       2022                            d  c2022/110aDirective 2010/63/EU10aEuropean policy10aNAM10aanimal experimentation10aBiomedical Research10aexperimental methods10aexperimental models10anew approach methodologies10aphasing-out10aresearcher view10ascience policy10asurvey1 aLorenzo Del Pace1 aLaura Viviani1 aMarco Straccia00aResearchers and Their Experimental Models: A Pilot Survey in the Context of the European Union Health and Life Science Research  uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/20/2778  a27780 v123 aA significant debate is ongoing on the effectiveness of animal experimentation, due to the increasing reports of failure in the translation of results from preclinical animal experiments to human patients. Scientific, ethical, social and economic considerations linked to the use of animals raise concerns in a variety of societal contributors (regulators, policy makers, non-governmental organisations, industry, etc.). The aim of this study was to record researchers’ voices about their vision on this science evolution, to reconstruct as truthful as possible an image of the reality of health and life science research, by using a key instrument in the hands of the researcher: the experimental models. Hence, we surveyed European-based health and life sciences researchers, to reconstruct and decipher the varying orientations and opinions of this community over these large transformations. In the interest of advancing the public debate and more accurately guide the policy of research, it is important that policy makers, society, scientists and all stakeholders (1) mature as comprehensive as possible an understanding of the researchers’ perspectives on the selection and establishment of the experimental models, and (2) that researchers publicly share the research community opinions regarding the external factors influencing their professional work. Our results highlighted a general homogeneity of answers from the 117 respondents. However, some discrepancies on specific key issues and topics were registered in the subgroups. These recorded divergent views might prove useful to policy makers and regulators to calibrate their agenda and shape the future of the European health and life science research. Overall, the results of this pilot study highlight the need of a continuous, open and broad discussion between researchers and science policy stakeholders.  a2076-2615