What is Rodent MDA?
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MDA is a technique that utilizes a palatable solution— e.g. sweetened condensed milk—to safely administer drugs to laboratory rodents. Animals are trained to ingest the solution in a controlled manner, ensuring a stress-free process. Once trained, MDA opens the door to repeated administrations without the need for restraint or invasive techniques. This not only enhances the research process but also minimizes stress and injuries among the animals. 

Key Benefits of Rodent MDA:  

Safety First: MDA eliminates the need for stressful procedures, reducing the risk of injuries and ensuring the well-being of laboratory rodents.  
‍Precision: Controlled ingestion through micropipettes allows for accurate drug administration, leading to more reliable research outcomes.  
‍Repeatability: With MDA, researchers can conduct repeated administrations without causing further discomfort to the rodents, promoting longitudinal studies and comprehensive data collection. 

Advancing Rodent Research with MDA: The integration of MDA represents a significant leap forward inrefining laboratory practices. By prioritizing the welfare of our researchsubjects, we can enhance the quality and ethical standards of preclinicalstudies..

Funded by the NRP79 - "Advancing 3R", we are diving into the development of Rodent MDA to address open questions and concerns about its validity and applicability in various research fields. Our mission is clear - to implement and disseminate MDA as a new standard in oral drug administration, replacing the conventional oral gavage method. 
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‍How We Plan to Achieve This:
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‍1️⃣ Generating Scientific Data: We're committed to producing data across three of Switzerland's top five research fields in terms of animal usage. From Analgesia to Metabolism/Behaviour and Pharmacology in Oncology, we're comparing MDA against oral gavage and injections to ensure its effectiveness.
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2️⃣ Promoting Awareness: We're launching initiatives to spread the word about MDA. Through social media, a dedicated website, and stakeholder meetings, we aim to inform colleagues, policy makers, authorities, and the public about MDA as a superior 3R alternative to oral gavage.
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3️⃣ Education: We're working towards incorporating the MDA technique into educational programs for laboratory animal science. Our goal is to make MDA a recognized and valid #3Rs method, ensuring future researchers are equipped with innovative and ethical approaches.