Animal Ethics Committee (AEC)

The Animal Ethics Committee's responsibilities are outlined in its Terms of Reference. The committee's role is to ensure the treatment of animals in programs supported by the Women's and Children's Health Network (WCHN) or its staff is in accordance with legislative and community standards at all times. The use of animals for teaching, research or experimentation is regulated by state legislation - Animal Welfare Act 1985. This Act regulates the use of animals for teaching, research or experimentation.

The committee must also ensure that all animal care and use is conducted in compliance with the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 7th edn 2004 –and that it incorporates the principle of the three R's: Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. The code encompasses all aspects of the care and use of, or interaction with, animals for scientific purposes in medicine, biology, agriculture, veterinary and other animal sciences, industry and teaching.  

The WCHN is licensed under the Act to acquire and use animals only when approval has been granted by its AEC. No animal may be held or used for any purpose until written approval has been obtained from the committee.

All WCHN personnel who wish to use animals for teaching, research or experimentation MUST obtain ethical approval from the AEC prior to any use or involvement with animals, irrespective of where they are located, where animals may be housed or used, or the source of funding. Similarly, any personnel wishing to use animals on the WCH campus, regardless of the employing institution, must obtain approval from the committee.

The AEC reports through its Chair to the CEO and annually to the National Health and Medical Research Council and the SA Office of Animal Welfare.

Membership of the committee is regulated by both the Act and the National Code of Practice and must include representation from a range of backgrounds and expertise.  Meetings are held every two months and protocols for consideration by the committee must be received by the secretary 21 days before the meeting.

Click HERE for information and all documentation regarding submissions to the WCHN AEC

WCHN AEC 2012 Meeting Dates

CONTACTING THE WCHN ANIMAL ETHICS COMMITTEE

Enquiries about the Committee or the submission of protocol/audits should be directed to the WCHN Animal Ethics Committee Executive Officer Ms Mary Thorne

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