So far, there is no satisfactory solution for the search for alternative methods to animal experiments. Searching through a large number of databases is laborious and very time-consuming. This is the case not only for scientists who want to submit animal experimentation applications and need to explain whether their question cannot be answered with another, animal-free method, but also for authorities and members of animal experimentation committees who want to obtain information.

The search engine SMAFIRA (SMArt Feature based Interactive RAnking) is intended to make it possible to find suitable suggestions for alternative methods to a given animal experiment (= reference document) before submitting an application. In addition, SMAFIRA can rank the results of the search, i.e. the literature references that are found, according to their thematic correspondence to the specified reference document and their relevance as a potential alternative method to the respective animal experiment, the Bf3R informs on its website.

Further information can be found at
https://www.bf3r.de/de/smafira-283244.html