Forty one UK institutions involved in scientific research have signed a declaration to increase openness and transparency concerning the use of animals in research, after a poll found that public support for animal experiments was falling.

Speaking at a press briefing to launch the “concordat” on transparency in animal research, Stephen Whitehead, chief executive of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, said that he would like to see buses and bus shelters carrying advertisements supporting animal research and explaining why such research was necessary, to match the publicity achieved by animal rights campaigners.

The Ipsos MORI poll found that 85% of 1026 adults across Britain who were interviewed in 2012 agreed with the use of animals in experiments in research for medical purposes or under conditions of high welfare, down from 90% in 2010. And the …