By Cerys Larsen, News Subeditor
The University of Bristol has halted the use of the Forced Swim Test due to the imminent conclusion of the research project that was using the practice. This move marks the end of a test that has faced increasing scrutiny over several years. The university has announced that it has no intention to carry out this practice in future research.
The Forced Swim Test involves placing rats or mice into inescapable cylinders of water. The animals are forced to swim in response to the threat of drowning. The university states that this test is carried out by researchers ‘to understand the neurobiology of stress’.
In recent years, the university has fallen under increasing pressure to abandon the Forced Swim Test as the practice has drawn widespread criticism due to its ethical controversy. In 2022, students from the University of Bristol partnered with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in an open letter to the former Vice-Chancellor Hugh Brady urging the university to cease the tests. Last year saw a number of student-led demonstrations on campus, including one organised by PETA outside Beacon House, centring on an activist dressed as ‘Dr Killsalot’.
'We remain committed to open and ongoing dialogue about how and why animals are used in research' – University of Bristol
Whilst delivering a talk at Yale University in September 2024, Vice-Chancellor Evelyn Welch was interrupted by protesters holding signs that read 'University of Bristol: Ban Animal Torture'.
The issue was also put to the Bristol Students' Union's student council in November, where students passed the motion to 'end All Forced Swimming Experiments at the University of Bristol'.
In a statement released by the University of Bristol, a spokesperson stated:
‘The University of Bristol has now stopped using the forced swim test because the research project which used it is due to conclude shortly. We are not expecting to undertake any future research which requires the use of the forced swim test.’
‘Scientific analysis following the use of the procedure in previous research here at Bristol has furthered our understanding of how stress hormones act upon the brain and what their function is. These findings have been published in leading journals like Nature Communications, contributing to a better understanding of the effects of stress at the molecular level. Such insights are crucial for the development of new treatments for stress-related disorders.’
‘We recognise that the forced swim test has prompted discussions around the ethics of using animals in research. These are important conversations, and we remain committed to open and ongoing dialogue about how and why animals are used in research.’
Students voted to end the practice at a student council meeting in November.
In response to the update, a spokesperson from Bristol SU has said:
'We are really pleased as an officer team that we have seen this motion completed after years of back and forth between the University and students. We are grateful for the open and successful dialogue that we had with researchers at the University and the student motion proposers at Veg Society.'
'It has been great delivering on the student voice, and we are looking forward to AMM next week where more motions proposed by the student body will be debated and actioned.'
Featured Image: Milan Perera
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