Animal Welfare
Sequani undertakes the majority
of its work for companies developing pharmaceuticals for the
treatment of human diseases. Sequani uses laboratory animals in
order to help companies identify and predict clinical and adverse
events in humans. This is done to ensure the highest possible
standards of medicinal product safety and efficacy prior to
administration to humans. The overall purpose of the tests performed
by Sequani is to ensure public health and safety. These tests are
required by law in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world
before further investigation in humans can be carried out.
We are fully accredited by the Association for
Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC
www.aaalac.org), accreditation was
the first in Europe and was received in 1986 with reaccreditation at every subsequent visit and assessment.
Sequani continuously strives to limit
the number of animals used to a minimum. Sequani and it’s staff are
firmly committed to the development and, where these are approved by
the regulatory authorities, the use of non animal-based alternatives
to the use of animals in
human and veterinary pharmaceutical safety
evaluation. Indeed, we routinely use a range of bacterial and cell
culture non animal alternatives to this end.
n addition, we have an
active programme for the identification, development and
evaluation of new alternatives.
Alternative models are implemented as soon they are internationally
accepted and in vitro screening models are developed as alternatives
to laboratory animal experiments. Alternative methods are not yet
available to replace animals in all of the testing that is necessary
and, although significant progress has been made, it is likely to be
a considerable time before the use of animals can be completely
eliminated from pharmaceutical safety testing.
The use of animals in United
Kingdom scientific research is controlled by the Animals (Scientific
Procedures) Act 1986 which is administered by the United Kingdom
Home Office. Under the Act, the premises in which experiments are
carried out must be licensed as fit for purpose; the Certificate of
Designation. The staff performing the procedures must hold a
Personal License, grant of which requires that they demonstrate that
they are properly qualified and experienced.
In addition, each
experiment must be authorised by a Project License which lays out
and analyses the potential benefits of the work and the expected
cost to the animals. Compliance with the Act is policed by a team of
Home Office Inspectors who have legal right of access to all areas
within a designated establishment without prior warning. These
inspectors are charged with ensuring that no procedures are carried
out without appropriate licenses being in place and that at all
times the highest standards of animal care and welfare are achieved.
The studies performed with
laboratory animals at Sequani are commissioned to meet the
requirements of regulatory health authorities. All animal studies
are performed according to international guidelines for the conduct
of studies and animal welfare issues. Ethical considerations and
animal welfare are always given the highest priority.
The laboratory animals used at Sequani
are bred specifically for experimental purposes.
The housing,
husbandry and transport of laboratory animals, as a minimum, comply
with internationally accepted standards. Qualified veterinary
surgeons are also available at all times to assist and for help and
advice in the care of laboratory animals and conduct of studies.
Only persons with appropriate
levels of training are permitted to work with laboratory animals.
Sequani continues to develop comprehensive training programmes
designed to increase the understanding, knowledge and dedication of
those persons working with laboratory animals. The staff at Sequani
have been both practically and theoretically trained to ensure
animal welfare is maintained at the highest standards.
Sequani has a Health, Welfare and
Ethics Committee with representatives of scientific, non-scientific,
veterinarian staff and lay people. The primary aim of the Health,
Welfare and Ethics Committee is to continuously improve the quality
of life for the laboratory animals; through expertise and knowledge
to develop new handling techniques, housing conditions and to
identify new initiatives for environmental enrichment.
Sequani’s use of animals is
subject to stringent ethical review and we are fully committed to
the principles of the 3 Rs: Reduction (of the number of animals
used), Refinement (implementation of the most humane procedures) and
Replacement (of animals with non-animal alternatives, wherever this
becomes possible).
