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Italian law on animal experimentation under review
Hon. Giulio Schmidt, a member of the parliamentary majority, has proposed a revision of the existing national law on animal experimentation. He suggested that a Review Committee be set up, with 40-odd members from universities, Farmindustria, scientific associations and animal rights groups. The Italian section of EBRA was represented by its secretary, Professor Armanda Jori.
Following the first meeting. a fifteen day workshop was held at Montecitorio in Rome, at which the existing law was reviewed article by article and annex by annex. Many articles were updated, others were replaced and others added ex novo. Topics not previously covered by the law were introduced; committees for animal care and use are to be set up (this terminology replacing the older Ethics Committees or I.A.C.U.C): transgenic animals will be included, as well as staff training, assessment of animal suffering, details on the use of the 3Rs, and computerized information systems for those working in this field. The forms and procedures for authorizing projects were amended, and the procedures for guaranteeing confidentiality of information regarding the persons involved were also updated.
The committee kept constantly in mind the points under examination at the European agencies with a view to revising DE 86/609 so as not to create problems if - as seems likely - the new Italian regulations are approved before the European Directive.
The main objective of the revision of the law, which "establishes regulations for the protection and safeguarding of animals used for scientific or technological purposes", was to find conditions that best guarantee the animals' wellbeing, reducing the numbers used and controlling suffering, and assessing the risk/benefit ratio, while respecting the freedom guaranteed by the Constitution for basic and applied research and the checks required by the regulatory authorities.
The Italian section of EBRA believes that the final text will satisfy researchers and animals rights groups too. “One of the noteworthy successes of this initiative was the fact that the two sides finally met around the same table. The representatives of many animal rights groups attended all these meetings, putting their case in an atmosphere of serenity and collaboration which we hope will be maintained in the future” said Professor Jori.