Reduction  

With the choice of an adequate experimental design (e.g. the right model organism, the right method and the selection of suitable statistical analyses), the number of animals in an experiment can be significantly reduced while maintaining the same information gain. Pilot studies with few animals are also a method to reduce the number of animals. In this case, the study is carried out in advance using a small number of animals. Based on the findings of this pilot study, the main study can, for example, be better designed or, if the outcome is undesirable, the main study can generally be reconsidered. Another possibility to reduce the number of animals would be to share the use of laboratory animals for different questions. If researchers were to share animals in animal experiments, it would be possible to save an immense amount of animal numbers. However, this can only succeed if research is transparent. Imaging techniques also represent a possibility for reduction, in that one and the same animals can be tested in long-term studies. Animals can be examined several times without invasive surgery. Imaging techniques include, for example

• computed tomography (CT)
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRT)
• positron emission tomography (PET)