Recommendations for education and training: Categories A and C

Appropriate education and training of all those engaged in the use of live vertebrate animals for scientific purposes is required by both the Council of Europe (Convention ETS 123, Article 26) and the European Union (Council Directive 86/609/EEC, Article 14). FELASA has elaborated these requirements in practical detail, for this purpose dividing those involved into 4 Categories (although these Categories need not be mutually exclusive): Category A-persons taking care of animals; Category B-persons carrying out animal experiments; Category C-persons responsible for directing animal experiments; Category D-Iaboratory animal science specialists. FELASA has based its recommendations on functions - which are common to all, rather than on nomenclature - which differs from country to country. The teaching syllabus published here in detail for Category C provides a common basis for other Categories where functions are similar, while the section 'Animal care/husbandry' of Category A Level 1 should satisfy the requirement of Article 14 of the Directive that 'persons carrying out or supervising the conduct of experiments' (Categories Band C) 'shall ... be capable of handling and taking care of laboratory animals'. Practical, theoretical and ethical aspects should be treated for all Categories. Refinement of techniques, reduction in the number of animals used and replacement wherever possible by non-sentient systems should be guiding principles. The FELASA recommendations for Categories A and C are presented here.