The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests is planning exhaustive changes in the Breeding of and Experiments on Animals (Control and Supervision) Rules for making agencies involved in animal experimentation more responsible and permit contract animal experiments in the country.
The ministry proposes to expand the scope of "experiment" to mean any programme or project involving use of animal for the acquisition of knowledge of a biological, physiological, ethological, physical or chemical nature. The changes would also make the research agencies responsible for proper rehabilitation of the animal subjects and empower Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) to cancel the registration of any establishment to conduct animal research if found to have violated the rules and regulations.
The draft amendment brought out by the ministry says that the definition of "experiment" under the rules would also include "the use of animal in the production of reagents and products such as antigens and antibodies, routine diagnostics, testing activity and establishment of transgenic stocks, for the purpose of saving or prolonging life or alleviating suffering or significant gains in well being for people of the country or for combating any disease whether of human beings or animals".
The amendment is to allow registered establishments to undertake contract research on behalf of any other agency in accordance with the rules of the land.
The Breeding of and Experiments on Animals (Control and Supervision) Amendment Rules, 2005 draft stipulates that "animals lowest on phylogenetic scale which may give scientifically valid results should be first considered for any experimental procedure and the experiment should be designed using minimum number of animals to give statistically valid results at 95% degree of confidence." In case the available alternative to animal experimentation is not opted, the investigator will have to give sound justification to the CPCSEA for being allowed to carry out the research.
The changes also propose to make the personnel using experimental animals to be completely responsible for the welfare of animal during their use in experiments. They will also be responsible for the aftercare and rehabilitation of animal after experimentation and would be ask not to euthanise animals except under specific situations. The rules would also lay out conditions under which an animal can be euthanised.
The government also proposes to consider the costs of aftercare and rehabilitation of animal after experimentation as part of research costs and to be scaled in positive correlation with the level of costs involved in such aftercare and rehabilitation of the animals. The new rules also allow CPCSEA to order closure of animal facility or suspend the registration of the establishment or animal breeder if there are cases of violation of rules. However, the agency would be asked to explain its position before CPCSEA issues any order.