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Evaluation of Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments in Life Sciences
Project
Project code: BfR-ZEBET-02-1328-195
Contract period: 01.11.2004
- 30.11.2007
Purpose of research: Applied research
The Center for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments (ZEBET) at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) was established to provide an information service and to create a database on alternative methods to animal experiments. ZEBET makes available its information primarily to scientific and animal welfare committees that regulate the use of laboratory animals at the state and community levels of the Federal Republic of Germany. ZEBET’s work is based on the animal protection legislation of the European Union that requires factual evidence and verification of the necessity to perform animal experiments. Thus, a study using animals should not proceed if another scientifically reliable method is available to obtain the desired results. In 2000, ZEBET introduced AnimAlt-ZEBET, an Internet database on alternatives to animal experiments. AnimAlt-ZEBET can be accessed free of charge on the Internet via the German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI). AnimAlt-ZEBET is a full-text database in English. It covers alternative methods in many fields of the biomedical sciences and related disciplines. As of November 2004, AnimAlt-ZEBET contained 115 documents. Each document consists of several data fields, e.g. title of method, keywords, evaluation, abstract and bibliographic references. ZEBET's Activity Report shows an average of about 23,000 visits per annum (for the years 2000 to 2004). The basic concept of AnimAlt-ZEBET is to provide documents that have been evaluated by scientists according to the 3Rs concept of replacement, reduction and refinement of animal experiments developed by Russell and Burch (1959). AnimAlt-ZEBET also provides an assessment of the current stages of development, validation and acceptance of a method for either scientific or regulatory purposes. Each AnimAlt-ZEBET document is characterized by specific keywords.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal health
- Biotechnology
Framework programme
Funding programme
Excutive institution
BfR - Centre for Documentation and Evaluation of Alternatives to Animal Experiments (BfR - ZEBET)