THREE NEW COMMITTEES ON LABORATORY
ANIMALS
In the day long national seminar on the state
of animal houses held here yesterday recommendations for forming
three committees for proper treatment of animals in laboratories
were made. This seminar was attended by scientists from premier
national institutes engaged in research.
A Committee has already been constituted on ‘Alternatives
& Harmonization with Global Guidelines on Animal Houses’ under
the chairmanship of Prof. Ranjit Roy Chaudhary, NII, and President
Delhi Medical Council, and consisting of Director, IVRI; ADG (Animal
Sciences), ICAR; President, Veterinary Council of India; Dr. V.K.Vinayak,
Advisor, Deptt. Of Biotechnology; Dr. P.Y.Guru, CDRI; Dr. K.M.
Chako, Deputy Director, Sri Ram Institute for Industrial Research;
and Dr. S.Harinarayan Rao, Centre for Cellular Microbiology, Hyderabad.
The Committee would evolve strategy, and delineate
tasks and sub-tasks for animal-based research to move in the direction
of three Rs viz. Replacement, Reduction, & Refinement.
The Committee would also review existing
norms of testing recognized by Indian Pharmacopoeia, and Drug
Controller General of India to bring them in line with global
trends as reflected in US Pharmacopoeia, British Pharmacopoeia,
OECD Guidelines and WHO Directives on an ongoing basis, and keep
CPCSEA apprised on a quarterly basis.
Another Committee will be constituted on
‘Norms for Rehabilitation of Animals used in Experiments’ within
three months.
A Third Committee is to be constituted on
‘Accreditation of Laboratories’ to look into the issue of accreditation
of laboratories, that would grade the same on the basis of agreed
upon norms and data presented by the labs to the Committee.
It was also decided that all the laboratories
having Animal Facilities would identify areas of deficiency, and
submit Action Plans/Milestones set against specific time frame
for remedial action; segregate capital-intensive measures from
capital-neutral measures, and take up the latter in the short
run; assess realistically the resource requirement in terms of
funds and manpower for improvement of Animal Facilities; and assess
the training requirements of manpower engaged in Animal Houses.
These information would be submitted to the CPCSEA
Secretariat within three months, which would present the same
to the apex body of CPCSEA for information and approval. The guidance
of the Committee on Accreditation of Laboratories would be sought
as and when necessary.
