Animal Care and Ethics Committee. (ACEC). What experience do we need on a committee to ensure that all research activity
Animal Research and Ethical Considerations Professor Peter Gunning
Why Perform Animal Research?
Why Perform Animal Research? • Physiological function - cells vs tissue vs organism - Your body is a complicated place • Behaviour - whole organism
Preclinical Medicine (1) Cancer Drug Discovery • Identify drug target to kill the cancer cell • First chemical isolated that hits the target • Test chemical on cancer cells grown in laboratory
If it works, can I now try it on a patient?
NO
WHY NOT?
WHY NOT? • Cancer grows in 3D in your body and many drugs that work in the laboratory never work in a body • Your drug may stop part of the body from working; eg, heart stops • You have to show convincing evidence that the drug is likely to kill cancer in a body but not kill the patient
Preclinical Medicine (1) Cancer Drug Discovery • • • •
Identify drug target to kill the cancer cell First chemical isolated which hits the target Test chemical on cancer cells grown in laboratory Test lead drugs in models in which a human cancer is grown in an animal • Toxicity of drugs in 2 animal species to detect possible life threatening consequences of exposure
Can I go into a patient now?
Preclinical Medicine (1) Cancer Drug Discovery • Identify and validate target (kills cancer cells) • First chemical isolated which hits the target • Test chemical and derivatives on cancer cells grown in laboratory • Test lead drugs in models in which a human cancer is grown in an animal • Toxicity of drugs in 2 animal species to detect possible life threatening consequences of exposure
• Phase I trial in humans (toxicity) • Phase II trial in humans (evidence of clinical activity) • Phase III trial in humans (trial vs standard care)
Preclinical Medicine (2) Animal Model of Disease Model • • • •
Genetically modified mice Cancer models Muscle disease Nervous system trauma
Treatment • • • •
Drug trials Cell therapies Behaviour modification Exercise
NSW Animal Research Act: Why do we need this act? • Satisfy the community that we are applying appropriate ethical standards • Protect animal research at the University and in the wider community • Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act
Guidelines for Research “Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes” Developed and overseen by National Health and Medical Research Council
Purpose of Code (1) • To ensure the ethical and humane care and use of animals used for scientific purposes (includes teaching).
Australian code of Practice…(2004) p1
Purpose of Code (2) • Ensure that use of animals is justified • Ensure that welfare of animals is considered Where Possible: • Replace animal use with other techniques • Reduce number of animals used • Refine techniques to avoid pain or distress Australian code of Practice…(2004) p1,5
Animal Care and Ethics Committee (ACEC) What experience do we need on a committee to ensure that all research activity complies with the Code of Practice?
Animal Care and Ethics Committee (ACEC) Includes at lease one: – Veterinarian (appropriate surgery/pain relief) – Researcher (scientifically justified) – Welfare Person (looks after the interests of the animal in terms of what they will experience) – Independent (represents community values)
Required by Code and overseen by Animal Research Review Panel (NSW)
Welfare of Animals • Should be housed to allow appropriate social interactions (eg. Rats don’t like to be isolated or overwhelmed, prefer to be able to see other rats, like human contact)
• Restrain animals for minimum time necessary • Need proper anaesthia and analgesia if pain is likely to be experienced
UNSW Online Ethics • Application form on ACEC web site • Answer the questions in lay terms • The focus is animal welfare (The 3 R’s) • ACEC meets on the first Friday of each month (except Jan) • Modifications are handled by the Executive of ACEC and are handled as they come in through an online form
