Mid September, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Court ruled that extracting blood from pregnant mares to produce Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG/eCG) constitutes a scientific procedure. The ruling, concerning an Icelandic blood farm, means that such activities can no longer be exempt from the animal welfare requirements applicable to animals used for scientific purposes (Directive 2010/63/EU).
The case followed legal challenges to the licensing of blood collection activities in Iceland, which are often linked to poor horse welfare, and permitted as "traditional agriculture". The ruling might have wider implications for the regulatory status and welfare protection of mares used for eCG production elsewhere.
Veterinary profession calls for high welfare standards
The ruling brings renewed attention to concerns previously expressed by the veterinary profession. In 2023, a Statement on the Use of Horses for Production of Biologics and Therapeutics was issued jointly by the FVE, the Federation of European Equine Veterinary Associations (FEEVA), the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA).
The veterinary organisations stressed that the welfare of donor horses must be a major consideration in eCG production, irrespective of where blood is collected. They called for scientifically based standards, guidelines, auditing and greater transparency to ensure that blood collection methods comply with animal welfare requirements.
Continued research into alternatives
The veterinary organisations also called for continued research into effective alternatives, including synthetic analogues. The 2023 position emphasised that industries using animals for product development should follow scientifically based welfare standards and that the welfare of animals under human care should remain a priority.
(photo ©Theodore Vasile/Unsplash)