Procedure licence application
A researcher at Utrecht University or UMC Utrecht who wishes to conduct experiments on animals must meet several requirements and complete a number of steps.
The first and most important step is to write a proposal for a research project. This proposal must clearly state the following:
- objective of the research
- importance of the research
- research plan and strategy
- methodology
- required animal species
- number of animals and their age
- possible applications of the 3R models (replacement, reduction and refinement)
- level of discomfort (and how to keep it low)
- the use of pain relief (and how to prevent pain)
- humane endpoints
- way of killing (if applicable)
The guidelines for submitting a complete application and for drafting a project proposal can be found in the document Guidelines to the project licence application form for animal procedures. This states that the following four forms must be filled in for a complete project licence application:
- Animal experiment project licence application
- Project proposal
- Appendix: description of animal procedures
- Non-technical summary (NTS)
These forms must be delivered to the Utrecht Animal Welfare Body, which will check the forms for completeness, review the technical research and practical aspects and consult with the applicant regarding the contents of the application.
The application is then delivered to the Central Authority for Scientific Procedures on Animals (CCD), who asks advice from the Animal Experiments Committee Utrecht (DEC Utrecht), who then makes an ethical assessment of the estimated discomfort in relation to the importance of the experiment. The DEC will also review the scientific quality of the research. They then submit a reasoned recommendation to the CCD, which makes a decision as to grant a licence or not. Once the licence has been granted by the CCD, further consultations will be conducted to determine a work protocol for each animal experiment.
If a project licence is granted, then every aspect of the project must be carried out in accordance with the terms of the licence. Any changes to an ongoing project must be reported to the Animal Welfare Body.