UK Advances Ethical Science as Remote Stroke Surgery Marks Medical Milestone
UK Advances Ethical Science as Remote Stroke Surgery Marks Medical Milestone
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The past week has seen two significant strides in science and medicine: the UK government’s flagship plan to phase out animal testing using artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D-bioprinted tissues, and the performance of the world’s first remote stroke surgery using a robotic system.
In London, the UK government unveiled a new strategy, led by Science Minister Patrick Vallance, aimed at reducing reliance on animal experiments by progressively replacing them with human-relevant technologies like AI-driven molecular analysis, organ-on-a-chip systems, and 3D-bioprinted tissue, The Guardian reported.
The roadmap establishes milestones including an end to regulatory animal tests for skin and eye irritation by 2026, mouse-based Botox potency tests by 2027, and reductions of dog and primate pharmacokinetic studies by 2030. Officials called the plan a global moment for ethical science and animal welfare.
Meanwhile, in a groundbreaking medical development, a team from Scotland and the US executed what is believed to be the first remote stroke thrombectomy using robotic technology, Anadolu Agency reported.
Neurosurgeon Iris Grunwald in Dundee removed a blood clot on a human cadaver, and hours later, her counterpart Ricardo Hanel in Florida performed a trans-Atlantic robotic procedure over 4,000 miles away. The team described the technique as a “game-changer” that could expand access to urgent stroke care in remote and underserved regions.
