Ethics committees: how do they contribute to the Three RS? Synopsis of the workshop

The number of animal ethics committees varies from country to country, as do their membership, function and responsibility. Some countries do not have these committees, or they act only in an advisory capacity. Animal ethics committees are made up of scientists, veterinarians, animal technicians, animal welfare representatives, and lay people. Some countries do not include animal welfare representatives on their committees. There is variation between countries on which uses of animals, and which animals, are actually reported as being used in the life sciences. Some committees assess scientific merit, others do not. While the responsibility for determining whether there are alternatives to the use of live animals (replacement) normally rests with the researcher, knowing whether alternatives could be used is not always easy for the scientist or the committee. The areas of reduction and refinement are more readily addressed by both scientists and committees. However, the actual evaluation of the ethical justification of each animal experiment is often limited, because, in many cases, there is a lack of competence and training on the relevant issues within the committees. The committees can be more effective if: the project submission is written clearly in lay language; access to databases of alternatives is more readily available; the impact of the use on the animals is carefully considered and actions to monitor and minimise this are approved in advance; the committees are better trained in the ethics of animal experimentation and in working as committees; and the committees and scientists interact in a positive way for the benefit of scientists, committee members, and animals.