Code on animal tests

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 6

Code on animal tests

Lincoln College has formally adopted a code of ethical standards for experiments with live animals. A research committee report to the college council yesterday said that it was important in the absence of formal legislation on the subject for the college to protect its interests in its relationship with the public and the anti-vivisection societies. As a result of the recommendations, an advisory committee on the ethics of experiments will be set up and a suggested code, subject to some clarification, has been adopted.

The stated aims of the code are: to emphasise the responsibilities associated with experiments on animals; to promote an attitude encouraging an efficient and considerate treatment of animals that minimises their stress to a level accepted as “reasonable and tolerable” by community standards; to ensure that research is not prejudiced by inefficient experimental techniques and lack of care of the animals; and to point to detailed information on the , care and use of animals in research. The code’s provisions include the requirement that

all animals be cared for and handled in a manner "least likely to cause stress or discomfort.” It also insists that all procedures on animals be done “in as humane a manner as possible.” Procedures likely to cause pain of “more than trivial extent” will have to be done with adequate anaesthetics. The administering of these must be by persons possessing the “necessary expertise.” The advisory committee formed will include a veterinarian and one person from outside the university who is

not associated with experiments on animals. Mr G. K. Stephenson, recommended that the outside appointee be chosen by an outside organisation and queried the wisdom of having only one such person on the committee. “It is essential that the report not be seen as a little closed shop exercise,” he said. Professor J. D. Stewart said that in other areas where such committees had been set up the outside person was frequently a member of the S.P.C.A. Mr Stephenson’s points would be examined by the council.