{"id":558,"date":"2018-02-22T08:51:13","date_gmt":"2018-02-22T08:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/the-role-of-regulatory-bodies-governing-animal-research\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T13:34:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T08:04:49","slug":"the-role-of-regulatory-bodies-governing-animal-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/insights\/the-role-of-regulatory-bodies-governing-animal-research","title":{"rendered":"The role of regulatory bodies governing animal research"},"content":{"rendered":"

The use of live vertebrate animals (rodents, primates, birds, agricultural livestock, marine animals, wildlife, native animals, etc.) for experiments requires relevant approvals from regulatory bodies of respective governments and the university or institution. These approvals help ensure that the animals used in a research study are given humane treatment and handled with respect and care as well as to establish consistent animal care policies and standards of care for scientific research.<\/p>\n

In each country, central bodies have been set up to ensure that researchers follow consistent and ethical animal research standards. Each country has its own set of guidelines and even though these regulations may vary slightly among countries, it is the governments that issue the rules and regulations for assuring quality maintenance and safety of laboratory animals. The ultimate aim of these guidelines is to promote good quality scientific (biomedical and behavioural) research that is conducted keeping the animals\u2019 well-being in mind.<\/p>\n

Does a single regulatory body to monitor animal research across the globe?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No! Each country has its own regulatory body with its own set of rules and regulations. In the US, for example, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)<\/a> controls the use of animals in federally funded research institutions. Similarly, the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC)<\/a> assesses the use of animals in research. Directive 2010\/63\/EU<\/a> on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes regulates the use of laboratory animals in countries belonging to the European Union. The use of animals in experiments and testing is regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA)<\/a> in the UK. Animal Ethics Committees (AECs) in Australia<\/a> determine the validity of animal usage for scientific purposes. While these are federal government bodies, each institution conducting experiments on or using animals should be certified by the respective government. The Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA)<\/a> set up under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change, Government of India, is the statutory body that sets up regulatory guidelines for the use and care of laboratory animals. Each institution in India that uses animals for research must have an Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) that handles and evaluates applications for experiments involving the use of animals and gives permission\/approvals to the researchers to conduct such experiments. IAECs are local bodies and follow the guidelines formulated by the CPCSEA. Ideally, a university\/research institute should also form a governing body for granting ethical approvals to individual researchers.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

What does a local or institutional animal research regulatory body do?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The members of each local\/institutional IAEC usually comprise a chairman\/chief executive officer (these designations could vary across countries), a veterinarian, scientists with substantial recent experience in animal-based research or teaching, a member nominated by a federal regulatory body (e.g., CPCSEA, in India), a non-scientist or a person from an animal welfare group\/a lay person who is socially aware and has been selected to represent the general community and does not have a formal connection to the university (whose role is to contribute different and independent perspectives to the committee’s discussions and policies). Again, the constitution of these regulatory bodies is bound to change across countries.<\/p>\n

This committee is responsible for:<\/p>\n