Accreditation of animal care and use programmes: the use of performance standards in a global environment

摘要

Revisions of several important documents establishing standards of animal care and use in the United States and Europe have been released recently, including the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide), the European Directive on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes (that includes the care and accommodation standards of the ETS 123 Appendix A) and the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Testing {Ag Guide). Although these documents differ in their origin and structure, they all share the same ethical principles based on Replacement, Refinement and Reduction. The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC International) evaluates the performance of animal care and use programmes across the world with regard to ETS 123, the Guide and the Ag Guide (considered as the Three Primary Standards), applicable local regulations/guidelines, and other recognised reference publications. While always respecting theengineering standards of local regulations, AAALAC International applies the performance goals of the Three Primary Standards globally. Performance standards, which are outcome oriented and focused on goals or expected results rather than the process used to achieve the results, are essential in determining what can be considered appropriate animal care and use at each institution. Performance standards can be applied to all areas of the animal care and use programme. When different engineering standards required by law exist internationally, performance standards serve as a tool for harmonisation of animal care and use, especially in the current context of increasing globalisation.