9 January 2014
The Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) proposes to create a Swiss 3Rs centre.
January 2016
State Secretariat for Research, Education and Innovation (SERI) and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) mandates swissuniversities to prepare a concept for a Swiss competence centre in 3Rs.
30 March 2017
Swissuniversities' Working group 3R, consisting of representatives of FSVO, the Swiss National Science Foundation and Interpharma, publish proposal for a Swiss 3R competence centre.
1 January 2018
SERI agrees to fund the Swiss 3RCC as a scientific centre of national importance working on a non-commercial basis according to article 15 of the Federal Act on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (RIPA).
27 March 2018
Foundation of the Swiss 3R Competence Centre as a non-profit association, exempt from taxes.
5 September 2018
3RCC publishes statutes of the association.
10 September 2018
The association Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) is registered with the Registry of Commerce of the Canton of Bern.
The 3R Research Foundation Switzerland (3R Foundation) was active between 1987 and 2018. While active, it received around 482 applications for research grants, and 146 of these projects received a total of CHF 18.8 million. The Swiss 3RCC has taken over the foundation's funding activities from 2018.
Aim
The aim of the 3R Foundation was to promote alternative research methods to animal experimentation through grants for research projects as well as to implement and promote the 3R principles. The organisation supported first and foremost projects aimed at developing new methods or refining accepted methods (validation) which offered improvements vis-à-vis standard animal experimentation in line with the 3R motto Replace, Reduce, Refine. Research projects were selected for support according to periodically defined principal areas for financial support.
Structure
The 3R Foundation was a cooperative institution set up in 1987 by the Parliamentary Group for Animal Experimentation Questions (public organ), Interpharma (www.interpharma.ch/fr/propos-damp039-interpharma/2810-membres) and the Foundation for Animalfree Research (animal protection). The organisation was supervised by the Federal Department of Home Affairs. The Administrative Board was made up of nine members, two representing the Swiss parliament, two representing animal protection, two from Interpharma and two from the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office, as well as a representative from other interested circles. The Board appointed an Evaluation Committee to assess proposed research projects and applications for grants. This Committee in the end comprised 14 scientists from the academic and industrial sectors. **Achievements** Research into experimental methods, which do not involve live animals, played an important role in replacing animal experimentation by alternative methods. The Foundation also aimed, however, at improving animal experimentation methods in line with increased animal protection. The research activities which have benefited from 3R's support have made a major contribution towards reducing the number of experiments involving live animals in Switzerland, as well as developing better or new methods. **Funding** The funds used to support approved projects were provided in equal parts by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office and Interpharma. An annual amount of approximately CHF 600,000 was available for grants. Total funding for approved projects CHF 19 632 951.45 Contributions from the Confederation CHF 11 828 000.00 Contributions from Interpharma CHF 11 998 000.00 **Overview of 3R Foundation-financed projects** For more information see: Good science with less animal experimentation, published by the Stiftung Forschung 3R in English and German.