Animal research and media relations

All communication on our animal research and husbandry is guided by the concepts of transparency, accessibility and fact-based reasoning.

• Information about animal experiments at KI can be found on our website at ki.se.
• We describe the nature, methods and results of research projects that have involved animal experiments.
• We give general details of species and numbers. The use of animals varies over time and by species, so no exact and current figures can be provided. KI is required to report its animal use retrospectively to the Swedish Board of Agriculture, which compiles the statistics.
• We give general information about the rules for ethical permits, drugs tests etc. on the KI website, and otherwise refer people to the relevant authority for more detailed information.
• For security reasons, we do not disclose any details of our animal facilities, including the identity of their staff.

Animal research spokespersons

Official spokespersons for KI on matters relating to animal research are the head of operations at Comparative Medicine (KM) and the Vice-President. Spokespersons for research projects that use laboratory animals are the researchers themselves.

It is your legal right to impart information about animal experimentation, but if you do so, you must be clear both in your own mind and to others about the capacity in which you speak – e.g. as a co-author of a scientific paper, a research group leader or animal facility manager – and comply with the rules applying to public access and confidentiality.

You may always direct inquiries to the appointed spokespersons or to a press officer, who will pass the matter on to the relevant spokespersons.

Press releases and popular science material

As a university, KI prefers animal experimentation to be contextualised in a way that explains its scientific value, but a proper interpretation of the significance of research advances cannot be made without knowledge of the methods used. Press releases, news or other types of popular science material (in either text or audiovisual format) on animal-based research should be open about the fact, and it is Press Office protocol to explicitly identify the species of animal that has been used for a particular project when reaching out to journalists or the general public and when publishing the latest research news on the KI website.

If you feel unsure about any aspect of communicating animal testing, do not hesitate to raise the issue with the Press Office.

Photographing/filming

Generally we do not allow visiting individuals or groups to photograph or film our animal facilities. Exemptions can, however, be made on request if the photographing or filming of experimental animals is related to a specific research project and accurately reflects the context. Photographing or filming is not permitted if the intention is to depict animal testing in general without connection to a specific project at KI.

Checklist for handling visits by journalists

• If a journalist asks permission to photograph/film, the Chief Press Officer or other press officer, the relevant researcher, the head of department in question and the head of operations at KM must all be contacted in order that they may collectively judge and, if deemed appropriate, grant the request.
• The head of the animal facility concerned is responsible for safety, risk of infection, all personnel involved and ensuring that no activities are disrupted. Staff from Comparative Medicine must be present during photography/filming.
• Remember to remove/cover staff lists, nameplates and the like that can come into in shot and, unintentionally on /node/167235behalf of the reporter, reveal information that for security reasons should not be made public.