Permanent Senate Commission on Animal Protection and Experimentation
Guidelines: Animal Experimentation in Research - The 3Rs Principle and the Validity of Scientific Research
To ensure both the highest scientific quality and high animal welfare standards in animal experimentation, animal welfare policies and scientific validity must be seen as integral parts of project design. The guidelines now published describe the close link between both aspects, identify specific requirements for conducting animal experiments in research, and offer assistance on how to ensure validity when planning and describing animal experimental research.
The use and legitimation of animal experiments in research is, and will remain, an ongoing issue in political and social debate. Studies using animal experiments are currently indispensable in basic biological research and in the more medically focused area of translational research. They constitute an essential pillar of scientific discovery. At the same time, animal welfare is legally anchored in the constitution as a national objective. Balancing the value of scientific progress and of animal welfare confronts researchers with significant ethical challenges and requires them to be particularly accountable.
The Senate Commission is an interdisciplinary Committee of Experts that deals with current scientific developments as well as the complex ethical and legal framework concerning animal protection and research experimentation. The Commission advises the statutory bodies of the DFG as well as policy-makers and government agencies. In its advisory capacity, it also makes its expertise available to researchers, universities and research institutions. The Commission promotes the sound training of early career researchers in research using animals by (further) developing specific training programmes. The Senate Commission produces information materials and contributes its expertise to meetings and discussion groups with the aim of improving public awareness about animal experimentation in research and promoting factual and informed debate on the issue.
Further Information
- Interner LinkLegal Framework for Animal Experimentation in Research
- Interner LinkAreas of Activity
- Interner LinkUrsula M. Händel Animal Welfare Prize
- Link auf PDF-DateiAnimal Experimentation in Research - Printed Version
- Interner LinkSupplementary information and documents in the DFG magazine (in German only)
Commission Secretariat
- Dr. Cornelia Exner
Philipps-Universität Marburg
Fachbereich Biologie
Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8
35043 Marburg
Telephone: +49 (6421) 28 23491
E-Mail: Link auf E-Mailexner@staff.uni-marburg.de
