Every animal procedure is implemented in a responsible manner. There are three prevailing criteria for animal procedures, which are known as the ‘3 Rs’:
- Replacement: it is a statutory requirement that a researcher may only use laboratory animals if the answer to the research question cannot be found any other way. Therefore, if there is a choice between an animal procedure or another technique for investigating something, the other technique must be used. This other technique then replaces the animal procedure. ''Finding new techniques - and accelerating that process - is a good way to apply this 'R’.
- Reduction: an animal procedure must always be implemented with as few animals as possible. This can, for example, be achieved by designing a smart, efficient study or by working in such as way as to promote reproducibility.
- Refinement: this means that animal procedures must be set up such that they minimise the discomfort to the laboratory animals concerned. This can be achieved by applying state-of-the-art research techniques: for example, by using a smarter device (such as a scanner) or a method for measuring more with less blood (so that blood samples have to be taken less frequently).
Animal procedures are increasingly being replaced by non-animal methods but a great deal more research is needed. Read here about non-animal innovations at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC.
Diligence
The use of the ‘3 Rs’ is one of the ways to ensure that laboratory animals are handled with due care. The moral obligation of meeting the highest possible due diligence requirements is laid down by law. This also applies to the requirements for the housing and care of laboratory animals. VU Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC have up-to-date animal accommodation, where well-trained personnel care for the laboratory animals and implement the animal procedures. Scientists must follow a special laboratory animal science course before being allowed to implement animal procedures.
There is, moreover, thorough supervision of animal procedures and their implementation. This supervision is carried out internally by the Animal Welfare Body, a team specialised in the field of laboratory animals and animal procedures, which advises researchers on the optimum implementation of their animal procedures. External supervision is exercised by the government. Inspectors regularly visit the laboratory animal accommodation and check whether all the statutory regulations and requirements are met.