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Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986

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The 'project' level of regulation is governed by the granting of a "project licence" (PPL) to a suitably qualified senior researcher. The PPL details the scope of the work to be carried out, the likely benefits that may be realised by the work, and the costs involved in terms of the numbers and types
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The 'person' level is achieved by the granting of a "personal licence" (PIL, procedure individual licence) to a researcher wishing to carry out regulated procedures on a protected animal. Having undergone a defined sequence of training, a researcher can apply for a PIL permitting specified techniques
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called the Act a "vivisectors' charter", alleging that it allows researchers to do as they please and makes them practically immune from prosecution. The report said that licences to perform experiments are obtained on the basis of a "nod of approval" from the Home Office Inspectorate, and that the
144:, medical and veterinary advances, education, environmental toxicology and includes procedures requiring surgery, if certain criteria are met. Revised legislation came into force on 1 January 2013. The original act related to the 1986 EU Directive 86/609/EEC which was updated and replaced by 260:, housing conditions, identification methods and the humane killing of animals. This legislation is widely regarded as the strictest in the world protecting animals used in research. Those applying for a license must explain why such research cannot be done through non-animal or 1159: 311:
select committee inquiry compared the Act to legislation from France, the U.S., and Japan. The report concluded that "virtually all witnesses agreed that the UK has the tightest system of regulation in the world" and that it is "the only country to require an explicit
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of a commercial company. The PEL details which rooms in the establishment are permitted to be used for certain techniques and species, but may also apply to outdoors areas and even mobile areas (e.g. boats) if this is where the research is to be conducted.
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A procedure is regulated if it is carried out on a protected animal and may cause that animal a level of pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm equivalent to, or higher than, that caused by inserting a hypodermic needle according to good veterinary
241:. Fish and amphibia are protected once they can feed independently and cephalopods at the point when they hatch. Embryonic and foetal forms of mammals, birds and reptiles are protected during the last third of their gestation or incubation period. 316:
assessment of every application to conduct animal research." Costs are explicitly in terms of adverse effects on animals, not the financial cost to the experimenters. This has since been re-named the harm/benefit analysis.
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of animals to be used, and the harm that might be caused to the animals. Typically a large and detailed document, the PPL precisely defines which techniques may be applied to particular animals and for what purpose.
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Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific
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Finally, the 'place' where regulated procedures are carried out is controlled by the granting of a "establishment licence" (PEL) to a senior authority figure at the establishment, such as the
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ASPA also regulates the modification of genes in protected animals if this causes the animal pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm. Other considerations in the Act include
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It is an offence under ASPA to carry out regulated procedures on a protected animal unless authorised by a personal licence, a project licence, and an establishment licence.
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or incubation periods (for mammals, birds and reptiles) or from when they became capable of independent feeding (for fish, amphibians, and the common octopuses).
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methods. The project must also pass an ethical review panel which aims to decide if the potential benefits outweigh any suffering for the animals involved.
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inquiry described the Act as the "...tightest system of regulation in the world" in relation to the regulation of using animals for research.
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Home Office relies on the researchers' own cost-benefit analysis of the value of the experiment versus the suffering caused.
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An Act to make new provision for the protection of animals used for experimental or other scientific purposes.
1085: 884: 136:(1986 c. 14) passed in 1986, which regulates the use of animals used for research in the UK. The Act permits 745: 1215: 846: 288: 163: 141: 380: 1177: 1154: 1015: 975: 922: 750: 725: 715: 851: 800: 795: 735: 720: 710: 705: 257: 1205: 1108: 1080: 942: 937: 453:
Directive 2010/63/EU of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes
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as animal experiments that could potentially cause "pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm", to
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Revised legislation came into force on 1 January 2013. The Act has been expanded to protect -
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ASPA involves three levels of regulation — person, project, and place.
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Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals – Great Britain 2005
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Prior to ASPA, the use of animals in the UK was regulated by the
492:"The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (Amendment) Order 1993" 230:
had additional protection over other vertebrates under the Act.
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other than humans, under the responsibility of humans. A 1993
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to be conducted using animals for procedures such as breeding
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Animal welfare and rights legislation in the United Kingdom
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The definition of regulated procedures was expanded to -
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Home Office (UK), The Stationery Office. 2002 276:to be carried out on named species of animals. 1046:Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine 656: 536:"Research and testing using animals - GOV.UK" 66:England and Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland 267: 411: 409: 663: 649: 1011:Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing 326:Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 202:added a single invertebrate species, the 1166:Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 857:Pain and suffering in laboratory animals 741:Pain and suffering in laboratory animals 605: 406: 122:Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 22:Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 1231:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1986 1198: 1160:Animal Experimentation Convention 1986 559: 644: 464: 462: 460: 106:Text of statute as originally enacted 1041:New England Anti-Vivisection Society 701:Animal testing on non-human primates 579: 361:Animal welfare in the United Kingdom 181: 832:Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 13: 1031:Foundation for Biomedical Research 670: 618:. Animal Aid. 2006. Archived from 457: 113:Revised text of statute as amended 14: 1242: 1036:National Anti-Vivisection Society 587:"Head to head: Laws on activists" 1226:Toxicology in the United Kingdom 764: 134:Parliament of the United Kingdom 34:Parliament of the United Kingdom 27: 691:Animal testing on invertebrates 560:Wright, Peter (25 March 2013). 516:. Understanding Animal Research 194:, which encompassed all living 1221:Research in the United Kingdom 981:Americans for Medical Progress 686:Alternatives to animal testing 553: 528: 506: 446: 434: 373: 172:Protection of Animals Act 1911 1: 1086:Understanding Animal Research 885:Cambridge University primates 366: 157: 746:Testing cosmetics on animals 142:genetically modified animals 7: 1076:Stop Sequani Animal Testing 847:International primate trade 339: 164:Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 124:, sometimes referred to as 10: 1247: 1178:Animal Welfare Act of 1966 1155:Animal testing regulations 1016:Cruelty Free International 976:Anti-Vivisection Coalition 923:Charles River Laboratories 726:History of model organisms 716:Animal testing regulations 302: 18:United Kingdom legislation 1147: 1094: 966: 915: 865: 852:Laboratory animal allergy 814: 773: 762: 736:Laboratory animal sources 721:History of animal testing 711:Animal testing on rodents 706:Animal testing on rabbits 678: 268:Licences and certificates 111: 104: 97: 85: 75: 70: 60: 50: 40: 26: 1081:Research Defence Society 943:Labcorp Drug Development 938:Huntingdon Life Sciences 422:. Home Office (UK). 2013 291:of a University, or the 62:Territorial extent  1172:Animal Welfare Act 1999 1051:Primate Freedom Project 996:Animal Free Research UK 696:Animal testing on frogs 293:Chief executive officer 176:Animal Welfare Act 2006 146:EU Directive 2010/63/EU 842:Great ape research ban 254: 243: 150:In 2002, a Government 91:1 January 1987 (part) 900:Silver Spring monkeys 402:– via BBC News. 356:Pain in invertebrates 247: 235: 186:The 1986 Act defined 93:1 January 1990 (full) 1184:Directive 2010/63/EU 1071:Speaking of Research 566:Speaking of Research 188:regulated procedures 1162:(Council of Europe) 837:Biomedical Research 625:on 17 November 2015 23: 1216:Cruelty to animals 890:Monkey Drug Trials 756:Toxicology testing 392:. 15 August 2023. 21: 1193: 1192: 593:. 31 January 2005 399:978-0-10-168772-0 331:A 2006 report by 192:protected animals 182:History and scope 118: 117: 1238: 906:Unnecessary Fuss 880:Brown Dog affair 768: 665: 658: 651: 642: 641: 635: 634: 632: 630: 624: 617: 609: 603: 602: 600: 598: 583: 577: 576: 574: 572: 557: 551: 550: 548: 546: 532: 526: 525: 523: 521: 510: 504: 503: 501: 499: 494:. 23 August 1993 488: 482: 481: 479: 477: 466: 455: 450: 444: 438: 432: 431: 429: 427: 421: 413: 404: 403: 387: 377: 208:Octopus vulgaris 152:select committee 63: 31: 30: 24: 20: 1246: 1245: 1241: 1240: 1239: 1237: 1236: 1235: 1206:1986 in science 1196: 1195: 1194: 1189: 1143: 1124:Neal D. Barnard 1104:Colin Blakemore 1096: 1090: 968: 962: 911: 867: 861: 810: 806:Syrian hamsters 769: 760: 674: 669: 639: 638: 628: 626: 622: 615: 611: 610: 606: 596: 594: 585: 584: 580: 570: 568: 558: 554: 544: 542: 534: 533: 529: 519: 517: 512: 511: 507: 497: 495: 490: 489: 485: 475: 473: 468: 467: 458: 451: 447: 439: 435: 425: 423: 419: 415: 414: 407: 400: 385: 379: 378: 374: 369: 351:Pain in animals 342: 324:, then British 322:Patricia Hewitt 305: 289:Vice-chancellor 270: 184: 160: 100: 99:Status: Amended 92: 61: 36: 28: 19: 12: 11: 5: 1244: 1234: 1233: 1228: 1223: 1218: 1213: 1208: 1191: 1190: 1188: 1187: 1181: 1175: 1169: 1163: 1157: 1151: 1149: 1145: 1144: 1142: 1141: 1136: 1131: 1126: 1121: 1119:Ingrid Newkirk 1116: 1111: 1106: 1100: 1098: 1092: 1091: 1089: 1088: 1083: 1078: 1073: 1068: 1063: 1058: 1053: 1048: 1043: 1038: 1033: 1028: 1023: 1018: 1013: 1008: 1003: 998: 993: 988: 983: 978: 972: 970: 964: 963: 961: 960: 955: 950: 945: 940: 935: 930: 925: 919: 917: 913: 912: 910: 909: 902: 897: 895:Pit of despair 892: 887: 882: 877: 871: 869: 863: 862: 860: 859: 854: 849: 844: 839: 834: 829: 827:Animal welfare 824: 818: 816: 812: 811: 809: 808: 803: 798: 793: 788: 783: 777: 775: 771: 770: 763: 761: 759: 758: 753: 748: 743: 738: 733: 728: 723: 718: 713: 708: 703: 698: 693: 688: 682: 680: 676: 675: 672:Animal testing 668: 667: 660: 653: 645: 637: 636: 604: 578: 552: 527: 505: 483: 456: 445: 433: 405: 398: 371: 370: 368: 365: 364: 363: 358: 353: 348: 341: 338: 309:House of Lords 304: 301: 269: 266: 258:animal sources 204:common octopus 183: 180: 159: 156: 116: 115: 109: 108: 102: 101: 98: 95: 94: 89: 83: 82: 79: 73: 72: 68: 67: 64: 58: 57: 54: 48: 47: 44: 38: 37: 32: 17: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1243: 1232: 1229: 1227: 1224: 1222: 1219: 1217: 1214: 1212: 1209: 1207: 1204: 1203: 1201: 1185: 1182: 1179: 1176: 1173: 1170: 1167: 1164: 1161: 1158: 1156: 1153: 1152: 1150: 1146: 1140: 1137: 1135: 1134:Simon Festing 1132: 1130: 1127: 1125: 1122: 1120: 1117: 1115: 1112: 1110: 1107: 1105: 1102: 1101: 1099: 1093: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1077: 1074: 1072: 1069: 1067: 1064: 1062: 1059: 1057: 1054: 1052: 1049: 1047: 1044: 1042: 1039: 1037: 1034: 1032: 1029: 1027: 1024: 1022: 1019: 1017: 1014: 1012: 1009: 1007: 1004: 1002: 999: 997: 994: 992: 989: 987: 984: 982: 979: 977: 974: 973: 971: 965: 959: 956: 954: 951: 949: 946: 944: 941: 939: 936: 934: 931: 929: 926: 924: 921: 920: 918: 914: 908: 907: 903: 901: 898: 896: 893: 891: 888: 886: 883: 881: 878: 876: 873: 872: 870: 866:Controversial 864: 858: 855: 853: 850: 848: 845: 843: 840: 838: 835: 833: 830: 828: 825: 823: 822:Animal rights 820: 819: 817: 813: 807: 804: 802: 799: 797: 794: 792: 789: 787: 786:Invertebrates 784: 782: 779: 778: 776: 772: 767: 757: 754: 752: 749: 747: 744: 742: 739: 737: 734: 732: 729: 727: 724: 722: 719: 717: 714: 712: 709: 707: 704: 702: 699: 697: 694: 692: 689: 687: 684: 683: 681: 679:Main articles 677: 673: 666: 661: 659: 654: 652: 647: 646: 643: 621: 614: 608: 592: 588: 582: 567: 563: 556: 541: 537: 531: 515: 509: 493: 487: 471: 465: 463: 461: 454: 449: 443: 437: 418: 412: 410: 401: 395: 391: 384: 383: 376: 372: 362: 359: 357: 354: 352: 349: 347: 344: 343: 337: 334: 329: 327: 323: 318: 315: 310: 300: 297: 294: 290: 286: 281: 277: 273: 265: 263: 259: 253: 252: 246: 242: 240: 234: 231: 229: 225: 221: 217: 213: 209: 205: 201: 197: 193: 189: 179: 177: 173: 169: 165: 155: 153: 148: 147: 143: 139: 135: 131: 127: 123: 114: 110: 107: 103: 96: 90: 88: 84: 80: 78: 74: 69: 65: 59: 55: 53: 49: 45: 43: 39: 35: 25: 16: 1165: 1129:Jerry Vlasak 1114:Gill Langley 904: 831: 627:. 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Retrieved 381: 375: 330: 319: 314:cost/benefit 306: 298: 282: 278: 274: 271: 255: 249: 248: 244: 236: 232: 207: 191: 187: 185: 161: 149: 125: 121: 119: 87:Commencement 77:Royal assent 15: 1148:Legislation 1095:Writers and 868:experiments 498:22 February 390:Home Office 196:vertebrates 168:vivisection 81:20 May 1986 1200:Categories 1109:Carl Cohen 1006:Boyd Group 967:Groups and 774:Testing on 540:www.gov.uk 367:References 346:Animal law 333:Animal Aid 239:cephalopod 158:Background 56:1986 c. 14 42:Long title 1139:Tipu Aziz 1097:activists 969:campaigns 953:Nafovanny 916:Companies 320:In 2005, 285:Registrar 251:practice. 212:gestation 200:amendment 1056:Pro-Test 958:Shamrock 875:Britches 791:Primates 751:Three Rs 591:BBC News 442:purposes 340:See also 262:in-vitro 216:Primates 128:, is an 52:Citation 801:Rodents 796:Rabbits 629:30 July 597:30 July 571:9 March 545:9 March 520:30 July 476:30 July 426:18 July 307:A 2002 303:Opinion 138:studies 132:of the 933:Harlan 928:Envigo 815:Issues 396:  228:horses 1066:SPEAK 991:AALAS 781:Frogs 731:IACUC 623:(PDF) 616:(PDF) 420:(PDF) 386:(PDF) 71:Dates 1186:(EU) 1180:(US) 1174:(NZ) 1168:(UK) 1061:SHAC 1021:PETA 986:AAAS 631:2013 599:2013 573:2017 547:2017 522:2013 500:2013 478:2013 428:2013 394:ISBN 226:and 224:dogs 220:cats 126:ASPA 120:The 1026:ALF 1001:ALF 287:or 130:Act 1202:: 589:. 564:. 538:. 459:^ 408:^ 388:. 222:, 218:, 664:e 657:t 650:v 633:. 601:. 575:. 549:. 524:. 502:. 480:. 430:. 206:(

Index

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title
Citation
Royal assent
Commencement
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Act
Parliament of the United Kingdom
studies
genetically modified animals
EU Directive 2010/63/EU
select committee
Cruelty to Animals Act 1876
vivisection
Protection of Animals Act 1911
Animal Welfare Act 2006
vertebrates
amendment
common octopus
gestation
Primates
cats
dogs
horses
cephalopod
animal sources
in-vitro
Registrar
Vice-chancellor

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