Introduction

The UB's Ethics Committee for Animal Experiments (CEEA) was created in 1998 to comply with Decree 214/1997 of July 30th 1997, issued by the Catalan Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing, which regulates the use of animals for experiments and other scientific purposes.

Article 26 of the abovementioned Decree stipulates that "centres using animals are obliged to create ethics committees for animal experiments to ensure the care and the welfare of animals used for experiments"

The functioning of the CEEA-IRO is defined in its Rules of Procedure as established in Decree 214/97
Functions

As set out in Article 28 of the Decree, the functions of the ethics committees for animal experiments are the following:

To inform on the carrying out of experimentation procedures, with prior evaluation of the suitability of the procedure with regard to the research objectives, the possibility of reaching valid conclusions with the smallest possible number of animals, the consideration of alternative methods to using animals and the suitability of the species selected.
To ensure that the animals do not suffer unnecessarily and that they are provided, when necessary, with analgesics, anaesthetics or other methods to eliminate pain, suffering or anxiety as far as possible.
To monitor the use of humane methods of euthanasia.
To ensure that the personnel carrying out the procedures are prepared for performing the tasks they are entrusted with.
To review procedures already evaluated or suspend any procedures in progress that do not conform to the requirements established in the protocol.

Regulations and Composition

Article 27 of Decree 214/1997 stipulates certain requirements regarding the composition of the ethics committees for animal experimentation:

The ethics committees for animal experiments must be made up of at least three people with the experience and knowledge to ensure the welfare and care of the animals, installations and experimentation procedures. These committees will have, as a minimum, the following members:

The centre's consultant on animal welfare
A representative of the centre's quality assurance unit, if applicable, or, if not, a researcher from the centre who is not directly involved in the procedure in question.
A person with experience and knowledge of animal welfare without a direct relationship with the centre or the procedure in question.

The CEEA-IRO is made up of a president, a vice-president, a secretary and different members (two of whom are external to the Institute)