About Animal Ethics Committees (AECs)

The primary function of the Alfred Research Alliance Animal Ethics Committees (AECs) is to ensure that all activities involving the care and use of animals is conducted in compliance with the Australian Code.

The AECs review all applications for the use of animals before they commence to ensure that they meet the requirements of the Australian Code. This involves assessing if the proposed animals use is justified, that the wellbeing of the animals will be supported at all times, and that the predicted scientific or educational value of the proposal outweighs the potential effect on the welfare of the animals.

When considering applications, the AECs are guided by the principles of the three Rs (3Rs):

• Replacement of the use of live animals if non-animal alternatives exist
• Reduction in the number of animals used via implementation of scientifically and statistically based reasoning in experimental design
• Refinement of techniques to minimis an potential negative impact on animal welfare by the use of:
  • The most suitable species for the purpose of the investigation
  • The best available technique(s)
  • Staff who are competent in the procedures
  • Effective management of any pain and distress by the use of analgesia and increased frequency of monitoring

The AECs must also monitor all activities involving the care and use of animals for scientific purposes on a regular and ongoing basis to assess compliance with the Australian Code and the decisions of the AECs. This process is called post-approval monitoring (PAM).