Regulation, Welfare & Ethics

Animal health and welfare are of paramount importance to staff at the LMB, for ethical reasons and to achieve robust and reproducible experimental data.

Animals at the LMB are accommodated and cared for to the highest possible standards 365 days a year by a highly trained and dedicated team of animal technicians alongside 24-hour veterinary care. We embed the principles of the 3Rs (replacement, refinement and reduction) in our operations and research.

Regulation

All research using animals in the UK must comply with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, known as ASPA. The Home Office enforces the law and all establishments and their work are regulated and monitored by inspectors who regularly audit facilities to ensure compliance and good practice.

Permission to work with animals is granted by the Home Office by licence under very specific conditions. ASPA dictates that animal use can only be approved if there are no alternative, non-animal methods to achieve the specified scientific goals. Three distinct licences must be approved for the establishment, the project and at personal levels before work is permitted.

All LMB animal work is undertaken in compliance with the UKRI policy on research and innovation involving animals.

Named Persons

As required by ASPA, the LMB has dedicated roles to oversee animal care and welfare including:

• Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO): They oversee day-to-day husbandry, care and welfare of animals.
• Named Veterinary Surgeon (NVS): They monitor and advise on the health, welfare and treatment of animals.
• Named Training and Competency Officer (NTCO): They ensure those working with animals are trained, educated and supervised where needed and continue to undertake appropriate training and development to maintain their expertise.
• Named Information Officer (NIO): They ensure those working with animals have access to the relevant information about the species being used and procedures being performed.

Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB)

ASPA requires establishments conducting animal research to have an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB). AWERB responsibilities are set out in the legislation and include reviewing all applications for a project licence, amendments to licences, outcomes of work, as well as advising on matters relating to animal care and welfare and on the application of the 3Rs.

The LMB’s AWERB members have diverse backgrounds and include Named Persons fulfilling specific functions under ASPA, researchers, lay people who are not involved in scientific research and other specialists as required. All committee members have a personal responsibility to ensure the welfare of the animals is placed at the forefront of ethical approval. Once licences or amendments are approved by AWERB these are then formally evaluated by the Home Office.