Animal rights activists oppose draft rules on lab experiments, seek stronger safeguards

Animal rights activists opposed the Centre’s draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Control and Supervision of Experiment, Breeding and Trading of Laboratory Animals) Rules, 2026, which would govern laboratory animal experimentation, at a press conference in Delhi’s Connaught Place. Legal advocates, animal‑welfare activists and representatives from scientific and veterinary fields raised concerns that the draft lets institutional animal ethics committees approve mild and moderate experiments without referral to the central Committee for Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals, potentially weakening oversight and exposing lab animals to unnecessary suffering. Dr Asher Jesudoss, director of Aloha Ahimsa Foundation and Delhi Animal Welfare Board executive member, warned that “just because a substance is found safe in an animal model does not mean it will necessarily be safe for humans.” He cited a 2024 review showing only about 5 percent of animal‑tested treatments obtained regulatory approval, while roughly 90 percent of drugs fail in human trials. The activists called for stronger central scrutiny, enforceable anaesthesia and pain‑relief requirements, transparent data disclosure and mandatory consideration of alternatives before experiments are cleared, urging the government to tighten the draft before it is finalized.