Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA)

• A one-day National Conference on Welfare of Laboratory Animals was recently organised by CPCSEA, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Theme: Implementation of 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) while using animals in academic research and regulatory testing in India.
• The conference laid emphasis on the issue of ethical use of animals in academics and regulatory testing in India.
• The discussions were focussed on evaluating the possibilities of exemption of animal experiments in academics and regulatory testing.

About CPCSEA:

• The Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals(CPCSEA) is a statutory Committee, which is established under Section 15(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
• All establishments engaged in research and education involving animals, are required to comply with the various guidelines, norms and stipulations set out by CPCSEA.

The main functions of CPCSEA are:

• Registration of establishments conducting animal experimentation or breeding of animals for this purpose.
• Selection and appointment of nominees in the Institutional Animal Ethics Committees of registered establishments.
• Approval of Animal House Facilities on the basis of reports of inspections conducted by CPCSEA.
• Permission for conducting experiments involving use of animals.
• Recommendation for import of animals for use in experiments.
• Action against establishments in case of violation of any legal norm/stipulation.

By: Vishal