The Ethics committee for animal experimentation (ECEA) of the Swiss Academies of the Arts and Sciences have published a revised version of the Document „Weighing of interests for proposed animal experiments. Guidance for applicants (2022)“. Matthias Eggel (UniFR_ESH) is a member of the ECEA and is a co-author of the publication.

Researchers who wish to conduct an animal experiment in Switzerland must submit a formal application. According to the Animal Protection Act, it is their duty to make ethical considerations in addition to scientific ones. This is done by weighing interests – a multi-step procedure and demanding task. The ECAE has developed a guide published in 2017 and revised in 2022 that provides orientation and support for implementation.

The guide is relevant for researchers as well as animal protection officers, members of animal testing monitoring committees and licensing authorities in evaluating submitted applications.

More information and the full pdf is available at https://www.samw.ch/en/Projects/Overview-of-projects/Animal-experimentation.html