Pharmaceuticals industry, research and academic institutions should rationalise the use of animals in research. There should be a sincere effort in minimising the usage of animals in clinical research and replacing the use of animals with advanced techniques.

Dr RM Kharb, chairman, Animal Welfare Board of India, told Pharmabiz, animal houses abroad are well advanced, hygienic, spacious and give due attention to nutrition aspect, which is lacking in India in general. Though the newer animal facilities in India are of advanced standards, the older facilities need to be upgraded.

The country also lacks veterinary experts who are trained in dealing with lab animals that are used for experimentation. The Board is planning to facilitate introduction of specific courses for lab animal medicine both for small and large animals that are used in trials.

The result of the scientific studies using animals depend on how well they are maintained, and this knowledge can only be with veterinary experts and through training such expertise can be developed, he added.

Animals used in scientific experimentation have made enormous contribution and research it is, in pharmaceuticals industry, bio-medical sciences, production of life saving vaccines and perfecting surgical techniques that have saved millions of human lives. Now, there is an urgent need to have a holistic view o sue of animals for scientific experimentation, exploring alternative methods offered by new biotech techniques. There should be judicious use of animals in research and experiments.

On the regulation scenario in India, he said, the Government has been reviewing the rules framed by the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) and has issued a fresh notification on Draft Rules of the Breeding of and Experiments on Animals (Control & Supervision) Amendment Rules, 2005, enlarging the scope of earlier notifications.

The Government has now proposed to permit contract animal experiments by a registered establishment on behalf of any other agency complying with the provisions of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960) and rules there under, Dr Kharb added.

There is a global concern for animal welfare with organization such as World Society for the Protection for Animals spearheading a 'Universal Declaration for Animal Welfare' at the UN. India is one of the five steering committee members who are actively involved in creating awareness among nations for bringing out the declaration, he informed.