Ethics of Research involving animals
Appendix 4: Method of working - continuation I
3 October 2003, the contract research organisation Covance (a contract research organisation), Harrogate
Members of the Working Party who attended the meeting included Nick Ross, Professor John Spencer, Professor Jonathan Wolff, Dr Sandy Thomas and Harald Schmidt
Staff at Covance:
Dr Chris Springall
Vice President, Toxicology
Colleagues with expertise in toxicology research and ethical review
Programme:
- Introduction to scientific and regulatory aspects relating to the toxicity testing of new medicines and agrochemicals;
- tour of the animal facilities and discussion of scientific and animal welfare related issues with staff concerning research on pregnant rabbits to assess the toxicity of a pesticide on fetuses; the testing of anti-diabetes compounds in mice; research involving captive-bred macaque monkeys; and systemic toxicity studies in beagles;
- discussion of methodological and regulatory issues relating to toxicity testing including the function and adequacy of the severity banding of the Home Office and the scientific scope and limitations of alternatives to tests such as the Draize test.
November 2003, London
Meeting at 28 Bedford Square, as part of the fifth meeting of the Working Party
Professor Michael Balls
Trustee, FRAME, former Head of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative
Methods (ECVAM)
Dr Gill Langley
Scientific Advisor, Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research
Programme
- Introduction to the activities of ECVAM and the Dr Hadwen Trust with regard to the promotion of the acceptance of alternatives to animal research;
- discussion of recent qualitative and quantitative trends in the use of animals in research; the relation of replacement to refinement and reduction strategies; the nature of barriers to the uptake of replacement alternatives; the possible focus of the newly established National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs); the role of the Three Rs in the regulatory framework of the UK; the potential of the Three Rs in different areas of basic and applied research.
8 January 2004, London
Meeting at 28 Bedford Square, as part of the sixth meeting of the Working Party
Dr Jon Richmond
Head, Animals (Scientific Procedures) Division (ASPD), Home Office
Professor Michael Banner
Chair, Animals Procedure Committee (APC)
Richard West
Secretary, Animals Procedure Committee (APC)
Programme:
- Introductions to the role and functioning of the ASPD and the APC;
- discussion of specific issues relating to the application of the A(SP)A: the inspection system; the operation of the cost-benefit analysis; the relationship of UK regulation to international regulations, the role of the APC in offering advice to the Home Office about a small number of applications for research, mostly involving the use of non-human primates in the ‘substantial’ category of severity; the nature and relevance of the severity banding system; the presentation of data in the statistics published by the Home Office; obstacles to a wider implementation of the Three Rs.