Swedish law requires ethical review if all animal experiments

Swedish law prohibits the use of animals in research without prior review and approval. Sweden´s Ethical Committees on Animal Experiments have the responsibility to weigh the benefits of the research against the suffering of animal subjects.

Of approximately 1700 applications submitted annually to Sweden´s seven Ethical Committees on Animal Experiments, more than 95% are approved. But the process often involves considerable work on the part of the researchers. In fact, additional information and revisions are required for most applications.

Thorough review
The committees have 14 members each. They meet approximately once per month. To assure that all aspects are addressed, each committee is divided into several evaluation panels to assure that the applications are correct, comprehensible, and complete.

“We thoroughly review each case, regardless of whether it is simple or complex. If anything is unclear, we turn to the applicant and request additional information," saysMats Sjöquist , scientific representative on the Ethical Committee on Animal Experiments in Uppsala.

Binding decision
By the time that the applications are placed on the committee´s meeting agenda, most of the uncertainties have been clarified. In part, this explains why so few applications are rejected. The committee´s decision is binding. Anyone defying the decision violates the law and is at risk for a fine or imprisonment.

During the time thatMats Sjöquisthas worked with ethical issues concerning animal research he has observed an increase in the awareness and involvement of researchers.

“We see increasingly more researchers who are good at planning research projects and writing applications that can be approved quickly. Especially those who have submitted several applications realise that ultimately it takes much less effort if they are thorough from the start."

Text: Olle Bergman

Published: 2009-04-15

Last updated: 2009-08-06

Responsible for content: Mats Ulfendahl, Secretary General of Medicine and health, Swedish Research Council.
Editor: Peter Tillhammar, Swedish Research Council. Contact: Send email to the editorial staff.