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Information on Animal Ethics Committees
Contents
Composition and operation of Animal Ethics Committees
Project application forms
AEC inspections and reviews
AEC training
Fieldwork notifications
To view the attached PDF documents you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy can be downloaded from Adobe Acrobat.
The use of animals under Scientific Procedures licences and Specified Animal Breeding licences must be approved and overseen by a nominated Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) operating in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council Australian Code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (external link), and approved by the Bureau or Animal Welfare as the licensing authority. Any person wishing to use animals for research, teaching, or testing must convince the AEC that the work proposed has scientific value and that the "3R.s" have been appropriately considered. The 3R.s are defined in the Australian Code as:
- Replacement - techniques that replace the use of animals must be sought and used where possible
- Reduction - each project must use no more than the minimum number of animals necessary and
- Refinement - projects should be designed to avoid pain and distress in animals.
Further details on the 3 R.s may be found in the Australian Code, while the Weblinks for the 3R.s (PDF 53KB) document provides a resource for researching 3R.s implementation strategies and techniques.
Composition and operation of Animal Ethics Committees
AECs must be composed of a veterinarian (Category A), a researcher or teacher (Category B), an animal welfare representative (Category C), and an independent member (Category D). Membership of AECs must be approved by the Bureau of Animal Welfare prior to the committee being able to make decisions on activities authorised by Scientific Procedure or Specified Animal Breeding licences. The Bureau has produced documents to aid AEC's and AEC members to fulfil their responsibilities.
The Guidelines for AEC Members in Victoria (PDF 80KB) provide information on how AECs function within the framework of the Australian Code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (external link). Areas covered include:
- The role of the AEC
- Introduction of new AEC members
- Confidentiality
- Executive powers and
- Qualifications and special contributions of the different member categories.
The Guidelines for the operation of Victorian AECs (PDF 42KB) provide further comments on AEC administrative issues, including
- Payment of external AEC members
- Approvals by AECs
- Password protected electronic signatures
- Scavenging, secondary use and re-use of animals and
- Minimising the production of surplus laboratory animals.
The AEC resource kit provides more detailed information on the composition, function, and constitution of Animal Ethics Committees, as well as guidelines for the decision making process (refer to the Guidelines and Resources page).
Animal Ethics Committees are often looking for new members. While Category B (scientific/teacher) members are usually readily available, it can be more difficult to find Category A (veterinarian), and particularly Category C (animal welfare) and Category D (community representative) members. To register interest in becoming a member of an AEC, please contact the Bureau of Animal Welfare on animal.welfare@dpi.vic.gov.au.
Project application forms
Prior to using animals, researchers and teachers must complete an application form that is submitted to an AEC for approval. The Victorian AEC Advisory Committee has developed a form (Word 328KB) that is designed to satisfy the requirements of the Australian code and Victorian legalisation. Given the variety of work supervised by AECs, the form is not considered to necessarily cover all the information required to assess a project. However, it may be useful to AECs as an exemplar to be adopted in parts or as a whole; or to form a core on which an AEC builds it's own form.
AEC inspections and reviews
Animal Ethics Committees are expected to inspect any premises where animals are to be held or are to be used in research or teaching prior to use, as well as on an on-going basis. Ongoing inspections should be at least annual, and preferably more frequently (Australian Code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (external link) section 2.2.32). Only those facilities deemed acceptable by the AEC may be used. Forms used by DPI for auditing licences provide a useful tool for inspections by AECs, as well as providing a resource for internal review of the AEC operation. These may be accessed on the Guidelines and resources page.
AEC training
Training for AEC Chairpersons
AEC Chairperson training is being considered for offer in 2009. The conduct of an Animal Ethics Committee is quite different from other committees, both in function and membership. Effective chairing of an AEC can be very challenging and time consuming. Please indicate your interest in a training course exclusively for Chairs by contacting animalwelfare@dpi.vic.gov.au
2009 AEC training schedule
The DPI through the Bureau of Animal Welfare provides complimentary half-day training (PDF 35KB) for new and pre-existing AEC members, or any other interested parties. The training runs from 1:30 - 5:30 pm, and is located at a DPI site in Melbourne. Training days for 2009 are 20 March, 19 June, and 20 October. Further details will be available on application. There is no fee, and bookings are essential. Please email details of training date, attendee name, attendee email contact, the research or teaching institution, and, if relevant, AEC and position on AEC to animal.welfare@dpi.vic.gov.au
Advanced training for AEC members
Advanced AEC training will be offered for the first time in 2009. Feedback from the basic training course and from Bureau of Animal Welfare audits has indicated an interest in more comprehensive information on the rights and responsibilities of AEC members, researchers and institutions. Places in this free course will be limited so please express your interest, and let us know which aspects of the Australian Code or legislation you feel require more explanation. Contact animalwelfare@dpi.vic.gov.au to put yourself on the mailing list for this course.
Fieldwork notifications
"Fieldwork" applies to Scientific Procedures conducted at premises not listed on a Scientific Procedures Premises Licence, and for all procedures under a Scientific Procedures Fieldwork Licence. If approval for a Fieldwork project has been given by an AEC, the licence holder must ensure that the AEC forwards details of the project to the Bureau of Animal Welfare. This should be done as soon as the project receives final approval and before animal use begins.
Click for a Fieldwork notification form (Word 44KB)
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