thelaw

ANIMAL
(SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURES) ACT 1986

The "Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act" 1986 governs animal experiments in the UK.
"Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act" was introduced
in 1990 and `updated` in March 2000.

THE ACT - 2 (1)
"a regulated procedure" for the
purpose of this Act means any
experimental or other scientific
procedure applied to a protected
animal which may have the effect of
causing that animal pain, suffering,
distress, or lasting harm"

GUIDANCE - 2.14
"They include disease, injury and
physiological or psychological
discomfort, whether immediately (such
as at the time of injection) or in the long
term (such as the consequence of the
application of a carcinogen)"

"pain, suffering, distress and lasting harm"

Severity limits in "procedures"

GUIDANCE - 5.44
"If it seems likely that the severity limit of a procedure has or may be exceeded, the
   project licence holder, or deputy licence holder, must contact the Home Office.
   Provided the project licence holder can show sufficient justification, the Secretary
of State may temporarily authorise a higher severity limit for a period of 14 days to
allow the balance of likely benefits and likely cost to be reviewed and amendment to
the project licence to be considered"

GUIDANCE - 5.46
"The condition may be considered not to have been breached if the suffering arose
   from unforeseeable extraneous reasons"

THE ACT - 4A
"The Secretary of State shall not grant
a personal licence to a person unless
he is satisfied that the person
a) has appopriate education and
training (including instruction in a
relevant scientific discipline) for the
purpose of applying the regulated
procedures to be specified in the
licence
b) is competant to apply those
procedures in accordance with the
conditions which are to be included in
the licence and to handle and take care
of laboratory animals"

Personal Licences

GUIDANCE - 6.4
"A personal licence applicant will
normally be expected to provide
evidence of appropriate education,
training and experience. Typically, this
will comprise at least five GCSEs or
Standard Grade passes (including a
biological science) or equivalent
vocational qualifications; a certificate
attesting to successful completion of
training modules 1,2,3 for the relevant
species.
"Applicants may request exception
from these requirements if suitable
evidence is supplied of relevant
comparable education, training or
experience"

Home Office Inspectors

ACT - 18.2
"It shall be the duty of an inspector to
advise the Secretary of State on
applications for personal and project
licenses, on requests for their
variation, or revocation, and on their
periodical review"

GUIDANCE - APPENDIX G. 10
"Inspectors have no power to grant,
refuse, vary or revoke licences"

Breach of conditions of licence

THE ACT - 10 (7)
"Breach of a condition of a licence or certificate shall not invalidate the licence or
certificate but shall be grounds for its variation or revocation"

animals or babies?

Adverse Drug
Reactions

safety
testing?

medical
delays

alternatives
to animal experiments?