When people are working with the laboratory animals, they must conform to Finnish laws and regulations concerning animal experimentation, protection of animals, genetic engineering, animal transportation and occupational health. Furthermore, they must conform to the rules of EU directive.
The licenses for animal experiments are approved by the the Project Authorisation Board (Eläinkoelautakunta ELLA). The license application must be in Finnish. The purpose of the experiment is described in the application, and when the genetically modified animals are used, possible phenotype changes and welfare problems must be considered. Also the breeding lines with welfare problems must have the license from the Project Authorisation Board.
Experimental animals will not need the license from the the Project Authorisation Board in that case if the genetically modified breeding lines don’t have welfare problems or if the animal use doesn’t fill the definition of the animal experiment.
However, in these cases, research group has to give the animal use plan to LAC. When the use plan has been accepted, the group will have an internal animal license number for the animal use. The form is found in Flamma-intranet.
More information from the animal use plan: Niina Kemppinen
Research groups need to fill the form of risk assessment to LAC from all animal strains and crossings which are made by genetic engineering. The form is found in Flamma-intranet.
More information about the risk assessment: Niina Kemppinen