The question how the volume of the annual report could be reduced in the face of a continuous increase in literature has been discussed in the past. But now, we have arrived at a reduction of one-third which could only be achieved through far-reaching neglect of English-language articles and especially of periodicals. The scope of topics, reinforced over the years, has been maintained and should facilitate the orientation of the reader.
In the continuing ethics-boom, a change seems to be in the offing. While dealing with the animal-epidemics, the animals themselves were, aside from consumer protection interests, at least of some concern. In the bio-ethics discussion human well-being and dignity have asserted themselves as the almost exclusive issue. At any rate, the various ethics-commissions have been installed solely for representing human interests, and it is conspicuous how the voices speaking in favour and for justice of non-human life are becoming lesser and softer.
The report's central goal remains the intent to introduce and comment recent published developments in the man - animal relationship.

The Animal Protection Law is oriented anthropocentrically and is trying to preserve human interests in animal utilisation, as well as doing justice to the indisputable responsibility towards the animals. The law is using the term "fellow-creature" but at the same time, it is regulating the objectification and exploitation of the animals. Both views can be derived largely from the Judeo-Christian tradition in the West.
Today, the ambivalent attitude towards animals has reached extreme proportions. Large numbers of animals are being valued as man's companion or even as members of the family and, at the same time, are being utilised on a massive scale as industrial products or instruments of research.
The conflicts arising out of this ambiguous contact with animals are being dealt with by those concerned, scientists in animal experimentation or animal keepers, in various ways. They are developing individual strategies and, in this, are being supported by the animal protection legislation.
The question remains if true fellowship between humans and animals wouldn't be - finally - more beneficial and salutary for mankind, even if animal exploitation certainly has some advantage.

In our Tissue Engineering group a 3D in vitro model for rheumatoid Arthritis (in vitro pannus) was established with the aim to develop a standardized drug-screening test to analyze the effects of drugs and different biological substances. The advanced model consists of chondrocyte pellet cultures interacting with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial cell cultures.
To establish interactive 3D co-cultures defined rheumatoid arthritis synovial cell populations were centrifuged directly on chondrocyte pellet cultures. Histochemical stainings during time of co-culture revealed obvious invasion by RA synovial cell populations into the chondrocyte matrix.
Gene expression analysis showed a downregulation of collagen type II expression in chondrocytes within 2 weeks after co-culture with RA synovial cells.
Those interactive co-cultures allow the study of single cell populations as well as the cellular interactions in this system under in vitro conditions. Thus, the established co-culture model may be suitable for routine screening tests, which can be useful in supplementing animal experiments in basic research and drug testing.

In February 2001, the European Commission adopted a White Paper on a Future Chemicals Policy. Its main goals are better to protect humans and the environment from unknown risks through chemicals. The "promotion of non-animal testing" is one of the key elements of the proposed strategy. For low production volume chemicals, only data from in vitro tests are to be requested. The data requirements for higher production volume chemicals shall be designed flexibly so that only data relevant for the respective chemical are collected. From the point of view of animal welfare concrete risk management strategies should be defined before test batteries are put together. The test catalogues currently listed in the Classification Directive 67/548/EEC are to be replaced by tiered testing strategies, and concrete waiving strategies are to be designed so that the requested tailor-made testing can actually be realized. Another essential prerequisite for the promotion of non-animal testing is that the funding of alternative method research is formulated as a key action with a concrete budget in the Sixth Research Framework Program of the European Union.

NEWS
OECD: Expertengremium verabschiedet Entwürfe von Prüfrichtlinien für drei validierte in vitro Toxizitätstests
A/D: Willi Halle: Ehrenmitglied der MEGAT
CH: Regierung kündigt Revision des Tierschutzgesetzes an
CH: Doerenkampf-Zbinden-Preis 2001
D: Ausschreibung des Felix-Wankel-Tierschutz-Forschungspreises 2002
D: Ausschreibung eines Forschungspreises des BMVEL
D: Ende der Hühnerkäfige in Sicht
CH: ALTEX - neue Website aufgeschaltet
CH: FFVFF schliesst Vertrag mit der ETH Zürich: Projekt "Serumfrei" gestartet
CH: In eigener Sache

ECVAM CORNER

CONFERENCE REPORTS
Olten: Schweizer Tierschutz STS: 1. Tierversuchstagung "Tabuthema Tierversuche"
München: Anhörung zur Xenotransplantation
Linz 2001: 10. Kongress über Alternativmethoden zu Tierversuchen
Innsbruck: Podiumsdiskussion: Tierversuch - Wo liegen die Grenzen der wissenschaftlichen Freiheit?

BOOK REVIEWS
Denis Müller et Hugues Poltier (éd.): La dignité de l'animal. Quel statut pour les animaux à l'heure des technosciences?
Toni Lindl: Zell- und Gewebekultur: Einführung in die Grundlagen sowie ausgewählte Methoden und Anwendungen
Helmut F. Kaplan: Ãœber die Rechte von Tieren und Menschen
Corina Gericke: In-vitro-Methoden für eine Forschung ohne Tierversuche
Heike Baranzke, Franz-Theo Gottwald und Hans Werner Ingensiep (Hrsg.): Leben - Töten - Essen: Anthropologische Dimensionen

COMMENTS
Susi Goll, Irène Hagmann: Das neue schweizerische Tierschutzgesetz - was soll es den Tieren bringen?

INDEX 2001