Current analysis shows: more than 99% of animal experiment applications in Germany are approved

A nationwide analysis of the approval and rejection practices for animal experiment applications requiring authorization under animal welfare legislation shows that fewer than 1% of applications are rejected by the competent authorities in Germany. In some federal states, the rejection rate has remained consistently at 0% over several years. Across the three-year period 2022–2024, the nationwide average rejection rate was just 0.83%. The analysis is based on data provided by the competent authorities of Germany's federal states on the number of approvals and rejections of applications requiring authorization, as well as information on withdrawn and modified applications for 2022, 2023, and 2024. Earlier data from an analysis covering 2015–2017 complement the overall picture but were not included in the current calculation. Instead, they provide a longer-term perspective on approval practices and help assess whether, and to what extent, the revised Animal Welfare Act, which entered into force in 2021, has been associated with changes in the authorization of animal experiments.

Reference

Strittmatter, S., 2026. Low rejection rate for animal experiments in Germany despite legal reform. ALTEX - Alternatives to Animal Experimentation 43:345–346