Application for authorization to conduct experiments on animals
The application for authorization must fullfill two objectives:
- protect animals from unnessary and non justified constraints
- ensure high quality for scientific research
Multiple advising entities are involved throughout the procedure: institutional authorities (DEA, AWO, veterinarian), cantonal and federal veterinarian authorities and the cantonal committee for animal experimentation. At each level, authorization applications are reviewed notably regarding procedures, methodology and animal welfare. Questions can be raised and researchers can be advised in order to improve their experimental protocol to better respond to animal welfare.
Obtaining an authorization takes 3 to 4 months, or even longer if the scientific project is complex. Authorization is granted per project and for a maximum duration of 3 years. Each modification of the procedures, the number of animals or experimenters must be submitted to the DEA and to the cantonal authorities for approval. If scientific project is continued beyond 3 years, the director of experiment must submit an application for renewing the authorization. This application examination is the same as for a new authorization request.
When applying for an authorization, the director of experiment must fulfill numbers of conditions
- Have appropriate education level in accordance with current legislation. If not, registration for qualifying and/or continuous education courses is mandatory
- Ensure that all experimenters involved in the project are adequately trained and register future collaborators for training courses
- Ensure that there is no alternative to the use of animal models
- Contact the animal facility manager and ensure that animals can be housed
- Request access to the federal web application for animal experimentation (Animex)
- Write authorization application, define the experimental design and choose the appropriate statistical methods
- Submit the application to the DEA and AWO/AWB
- Submit the application to cantonal authorities with the help of the DEA
- Answer questions from cantonal veterinarian authorities
- Answer questions from the cantonal committee for animal experimentation
- Obtain authorization for experimentation from the cantonal veterinarian
- Wait 30 days before starting any experiments (OSAV appeal period)
- Announce each experiment to cantonal authorities (date, time and place)
Follow-up of the experiments
It is compulsory to ensure a follow-up of the experiments and to make it available to the authorities in case of control:
- The date of the experiments
- The species, age, sex and identification of the animal
- The procedures carried out and data collected
- The analgesia protocol used
- Anaesthesia and surgical procedures as well as monitoring data
- The constraints undergone by animals
- Monitoring for each animal using adapted score sheet (general condition, weight, temperature, food intake...)
- Unusual events (problems or possible interruption of the experiment)
Each year, in February, it is mandatory to write an intermediate C report for each authorization which is:
- Completed in Animex by the director of experiment with the help of the DEA
- Indicating the severity degrees corresponding to constraints undergone by experimented animals
- Indicating the number of animals used in the past calendar year
- Submitted to the cantonal veterinarian authorities
Each year, in February, it is mandatory to write an intermediate CH report for each animal facility which is:
- Completed in Animex by the animal facility manager with the help of the DEA
- Indicating the number of animals born and weaned in the past calendar year (wild type, genetically modified and possible associated constraints)
- Indicating the number of animals imported in the past calendar year
- Submitted to the cantonal veterinarian authorities
At the end of each authorization, it is mandatory to write a closing report C which is:
- Completed in Animex by the director of experiment with the help of the DEA
- Indicating the severity degrees corresponding to constraints undergone by experimented animals during the entire duration of the authorization
- Indicating the number of animals used throughout the duration of the authorization
- Mentioning mentions the publications made by the researchers
- Submitted to the cantonal veterinarian authorities
The data collected through all these reports are transmitted by the cantonal authorities to the federal authorities and published:
