Skip to content | Contact Us
Animal Ethics Infolink Logo
search:  
A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Animal Research Review Panel initiative
ARRP policies and guidelines  »  Operation of animal ethics committees  » 

Frequency of animal ethics committee meetings

The following policy has been drafted in response to questions about meeting frequency requirements from AECs that consider only a small number of projects a year.

Policy

The Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes states (Clause 2.2.13): 'Meetings should be held at least quarterly to allow interaction of AEC members and effective functioning of the AEC'.

Explanatory Notes

1. AEC meetings must be scheduled at least four times a year. However, there may be exceptional circumstances where a meeting may not actually take place.

2. Exceptional circumstances where a face to face meeting may not occur would be:

  • where the AEC has insufficient business to justify a full meeting
  • where an alternative arrangement is made such as a telephone hook up
  • all AEC members, particularly the non-institutional members, are given the opportunity to discuss any issues of concern.

3. Where there are no projects to consider, the AEC should use the opportunity to carry out its other duties (as described in clause 2.2 (2.2.1 - 2.2.48 of the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes). These include:

  • inspections of facilities, animals and procedures
  • animals or procedures
  • discussion of general and ethical issues and policies such as increased use of alternative methods to improve communication between AECs, staff researchers or teachers, such as the holding of information sessions
  • a review of the functioning of the committee and its resources
  • discussion of any other business considered by any of the AEC members to be important

Animal Research Review Panel Policy 12

  • Home
  • Legislation
  • Code of practice
  • Accreditation and licensing
  • Forms
  • ARRP policies and guidelines
  • Animal ethics committees
  • Three Rs
  • Education and training
  • Useful links
  • Animal research review panel
  • ARRP annual reports
  • Animal welfare branch
  • Animal welfare branch publications
  • Site visits - snippets
  • Contact us
Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | Feedback