Animal Research Guidelines
Please note: the Animal Research Guidelines are currently under review.
The Composition of the Antarctic Animal Ethics Committee (AAEC)
The composition of the Committee is as laid down by the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (Section 2.2.2) and comprises a person with substantial recent experience in animal experimentation, a veterinarian, a person with a demonstrable commitment to, and established experience in, furthering the welfare of animals, an independent member of the wider community, and the Chief Scientist of the Australian Antarctic Division. Secretariat support is provided by the Australian Antarctic Division.
Terms of Reference
- To ensure adherence to the NHMRC Code of Practice is maintained and the AAEC and researchers be familiar with its contents and abide by its requirements;
- To ensure that the use of animals is justified, provides for the welfare of those animals and incorporates the principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement;
- To encourage the development of safer and less stressful techniques and procedures to be used with Antarctic species;
- To develop and maintain a set of guidelines in respect of animal experimentation and welfare in Antarctica including the consideration, where feasible, of alternatives to the use of live animals in experimentation;
- To examine research proposals relevant to the use of animals in experiments which are supported by Australia's Antarctic Program* either directly or in kind, and approve only those experiments which conform to the requirements of these guidelines, taking into consideration ethical aspects as well as scientific or educational merit;
- To maintain a register of approved experimental proposals, including a description of techniques and the names of those using animals for experimental purposes;
- To ensure that all experimenters maintain adequate records of animal usage; and
- To ensure that the requirements of all Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation are met.
* The AAEC does not examine research proposals for animal research undertaken on Macquarie Island unless the researchers are Australian Antarctic Division employees.
