National authorities on the use of animals for scientific purposes

Abstract

In France, the regulation of the use of animals for scientific purposes is mainly overseen by two ministries: the Ministry in charge of Higher Education and Research (MESR) and the Ministry in charge of Agriculture (MASAF). They work closely together to develop and implement, along with other ministries and bodies, the regulatory provisions designed to ensure that the use of animals for scientific purposes is carried out in compliance with the ethical principles and legislation in force, in this case European Directive 2010/63/EU transposed into the Rural Code in the form of Decree 2013- 118 and its Orders of February 2013. The two ministries rely on the opinions of the National Commission for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes (known as the ‘CNEA’) and the National Committee for Ethical Reflection on Animal Experimentation (CNREEA), which reports to the CNEA.