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Ethics Committee for Research on Animals (ECRA)

Ethics Committee for Research on Animals (ECRA)

Mandate of ECRA

The safety and efficiency testing of vaccines, medicine, medical appliances and materials, agricultural remedies, vaccines, nutritional supplements pesticides and other consumer products is mandated by various Statutes in South African Law. These laws are intended to promote the concept of preventative medicine which requires such substances to be tested for safety and efficiency before they may be approved and registered for public use.

The South African Medical Research Council Ethics Committee for Research on Animals is registered by the National Health Research Ethics Council. Registration number: AREC- 190312-011 valid until 31 December 2027.

This mandate for animal studies is, however, not absolute since progress is constantly being made in the development of methods for replacing animals in the safety testing of consumer products and medicines.

Any proposed use of animals for product safety testing must be preceded by a rigorous search for a validated animal replacement method. If such a method does not exist, then the proposed must be supported by a specific statement explaining why an animal experiment is necessary.

The Board of the SAMRC requires that an ethical review process be established and maintained both within the SAMRC and at every institution where SAMRC-supported animal studies are undertaken.

The performance of this institutional ethical review process is a precondition of SAMRC support, collaboration and co-operation.

Terms of Reference for ECRA

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) recognises the moral dilemma posed by the use of sentient animals (i.e. animals which can feel sensations and experience emotions) for research, teaching and testing. It subscribes to the ethics of supporting studies which pledges to contribute to the scientific understanding of biology, environmental principles and the acquisition of knowledge that can reasonably be expected to benefit humans, animals or the environment.

It recognises that all vertebrate animals are protected by law in South Africa (Animals Protection Act No. 71 of 1962) and that it may be an offence in terms of this law to kill or interfere with the well-being of an animal for scientific or educational purposes without justification which is approved by a formal process of ethical review. 

It requires that the “three R" principles of replacement, reduction and refinement be adhered to in the planning and conducting of animal studies. These values uphold the principles and practice of using the most humane methods on the smallest number of animals that will permit valid scientific information to be acquired.

It accepts that the use of animals in science critically depends on maintaining public confidence in the mechanisms and processes used to ensure that animal experiments are justified and humane.

View the complete Terms of Reference for ECRA