Animal use control in teaching and research

Abstract

The animal experimentation regulation is based on the ethical concern regarding not to cause animal suffering, expressed by social movements against animal experimentation, legislation on this subject, Animal Use Ethics Committees, amongst others. The objective of this review was to study the control of animal use in teaching and research in different countries, comparing them to the situation in Brazil and the State of Paraná. The control process is performed by the President and Parliament in South Africa, autonomous institution in Canada, Department of Agriculture in United States, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan, Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection in Germany, Ministry of Agriculture in France and Sweden, Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in Netherlands, Home Office in United Kingdom, Federal Council in Switzerland and National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia. The control is responsibility of the Ministry of Science and Technology in Brazil, under two Federal Laws, a Decret and a Resolution; in the State of Paraná, there is the State Animal Protection Code. Information from existing models may help the control system improvement for animal experimentation in Brazil. This process is urgent due to the need for animal welfare protection and the increasing society’s ethical concern.