01997nas a2200217   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260001500043653001700058653000900075653002200084653002600106653002400132100001600156245006300172856007200235300001000307490000700317520144100324022001401765       2021                            d  c2021-10-0110a3R principle10aELSI10aNon-animal method10aScientific repertoire10aSocial epistemology1 aSimon Lohse00aScientific inertia in animal-based research in biomedicine  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039368121001035  a41-510 v893 aDespite aspirations to substitute animal experimentation with alternative methods and recent progress in the area of non-animal approaches, such as organoïds and organ(s)-on-a-chip technologies, there is no extensive replacement of animal-based research in biomedicine. In this paper, I will analyse this state of affairs with reference to key institutional and socio-epistemic barriers for the development and use of non-animal approaches in the context of biomedical research in Europe. I will argue that there exist several factors that inhibit change in this context. In particular, there is what I call “scientific inertia”, i.e. a certain degree of conservatism in scientific practice regarding the development and use of non-animal approaches to replace animal experimentation. This type of inertia is facilitated by socio-epistemic characteristics of animal-based research in the life sciences and is a key factor in understanding the status quo in biomedical research. The underlying reasons for scientific inertia have not received sufficient attention in the literature to date because the phenomenon transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries in the study of animal experimentation. This paper addresses this issue and seeks to contribute to a better understanding of scientific inertia by using a methodology that looks at the interplay of institutional, epistemic, and regulatory aspects of animal-based research.  a0039-3681