nder the UK’s Animals (in Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, all organisations using, breeding or supplying animals for scientific procedures must have an institutional Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB).  

Across the EU, an Animal Welfare Body is required by the European Directive regulating animal care and use (Directive 2010/63/EU). The UK AWERB is intended to fulfil all the functions of the EU Animal Welfare Body but it has a wider membership and list of tasks. 

What does an AWERB do?

The AWERB has a set of minimum tasks 

• Advise on the welfare of the animals, including their acquisition, accommodation, care and use and advise on the application of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) 

• Follow the development and outcome of projects, and identify and advise on elements that could further contribute to the 3Rs. 

• Advise on rehoming schemes for animals in the establishment. 

• Advise on the application of the 3Rs and stay informed of relevant technical and scientific developments. 

• Establish and review management and operational processes for monitoring, reporting, and follow-up in relation to the welfare of animals at the establishment. 

And additional tasks 

• Advise the establishment licence holder whether to support project proposals bringing local knowledge and expertise to bear on the harms and benefits and practical, scientific and ethical issues 

• Assist with retrospective assessment of relevant projects  

• Respond to enquiries and consider advice from the Animals in Science Committee. 

• Promote awareness of animal welfare and the 3Rs. 

• Provide a forum for discussion and the development of ethical advice. 

• Support named persons with regard to animal welfare, ethical issues, and provision of appropriate training. 

• Help to promote a Culture of Care within the establishment and the wider community 

For more detailed information and advice on how these functions, and others, are interpreted and implemented, see the RSPCA/LASA Guiding Principles for AWERBs, European Commission Working Document on Animal Welfare Bodies and Home Office Guidance on the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. 

Who is on an AWERB?

Most institutional ethics and animal care and use committees comprise a core membership of at least one or more: 

• Animal Technologists or care staff: 

• Vets 

• Scientists 

• ‘Lay’ members 

This is the minimum required by law, but a wider membership is recommended, and the UK Home Office recognises this by requiring the Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) to include a senior animal technologist (the Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer). ‘Active engagement’ from the Named Information Officer and the Named Training and Competence Officer is expected as well. Establishments are also encouraged to involve ‘people who do not have any responsibilities under [the legislation] as well as one or more persons who are independent of the establishment’. 

How do we work with AWERBs?

An AWERB’s remit to advise on and promote the application of the 3Rs within their organisation includes the responsibility to support the replacement of animals locally. 

We know that Replacement is currently poorly implemented. AWERBs can struggle with questions to ask about whether and how a researcher has searched for information on possible replacement approaches, and the researchers themselves are unsure about what is expected of them and how to go about it. 

In the past, training and guidance around replacement have been confusing and often misdirecting. It is often considered at the wrong point in the research process and also conflated with the other 2Rs of reduction and refinement, which are very different. Reduction and refinement are considered once the decision to use animals has been made, but replacement must be considered much earlier. A thorough exploration of replacement opportunities will then inform whether animal use might be considered at all. 

We work with Universities and their AWERBs and Researchers to help them with replacement by:

• Providing guidance and advice for AWERBs to know what to expect from their researchers of how searches for replacements have been carried out, what was found, what replacement opportunities have been considered and why they are not suitable.  

• Training Researchers so they know where to look, how to search, what to look for, who to ask for advice and how to demonstrate the extent of their search for opportunities to avoid animal use.