{"id":14260,"date":"2021-12-02T14:28:48","date_gmt":"2021-12-02T06:28:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/students\/essentials\/higher-degree-by-research\/ethics-safety\/animal-research-ethics\/"},"modified":"2025-08-06T10:50:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T02:50:12","slug":"animal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/students\/essentials\/higher-degree-by-research\/ethics-safety\/animal\/","title":{"rendered":"Animal research ethics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/12\/DSC_6117_1500-aspect-ratio-2-1.jpg.optimal.jpg\" alt=\"2 students inspecting frozen meat\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>All research on animals conducted on Curtin campuses or by Curtin students or staff must be approved by the Curtin Animal Ethics Committee before it can commence. Non-compliance with this requirement represents research misconduct, which will be investigated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An animal is defined as &#8216;any live non-human vertebrate (that is, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, encompassing domestic animals, purpose-bred animals, livestock, wildlife) and cephalopods&#8217;. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research MUST comply with the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhmrc.gov.au\/about-us\/publications\/australian-code-care-and-use-animals-scientific-purposes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 8th Edition (2014)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Encapsulated in the Code is the need to consider the&nbsp;<strong>3Rs<\/strong>&nbsp;(Russell and Burch 1959) in teaching and research:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>replacement<\/strong> of animals with other methods<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>reduction<\/strong> in the number of animals used by good experimental design and use of statistics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>refinement<\/strong> of techniques used to reduce adverse impact.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<mimas-block block-name=\"notification\" class=\"\"\n             data-segment=\"all\" data-variant=\"notice\" aria-label=\"notice\">\n    <span class=\"ico ico-info\" style=\"--icon:url(https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/students\/wp-content\/themes\/mimas\/src\/img\/icons\/ico-info.svg)\" aria-hidden='true'>\n                                <\/span>\n    <section><p>Research can only be conducted within the approved timelines. If your ethics approval has expired you cannot continue with your research. Non-compliance with this requirement represents research misconduct which will be investigated.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/mimas-block>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Applying for animal research ethics approval<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before applying for approval, you must complete the SOL Research Integrity Professional Development Program. Students can access this via Blackboard, and staff can access this via iPerform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Application process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Animal research is divided into three categories:<\/p>\n\n\n<mimas-block \n        block-name=\"accordion\"\n        role=\"complementary\"\n        aria-label=\"Accordion content\"\n        data-segment=\"all\">\n\n                \n\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Observational-studies\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Observational-studies\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Observational-studies\">Observational studies<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Observational-studies\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>Studies are considered observational where animals are studied in their natural habitat.<\/p>\n<p>Studies are not<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>considered observational if:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Animals are taken out of their natural habitat even for a short period of time.<\/li>\n<li>Animals are to be trapped.<\/li>\n<li>Animals are baited to observe behaviour.<\/li>\n<li>The animals&#8217; natural habitat is disturbed.<\/li>\n<li>Animals are approached in a manner that may induce stress to the animal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your study is an observational study you need to complete the Observational Study Ethics Application form in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/infoed.curtin.edu.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">InfoEd<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Teaching-studies\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Teaching-studies\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Teaching-studies\">Teaching studies<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Teaching-studies\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>Teaching studies are considered as any action or group of actions undertaken with the aim of achieving a scientific purpose, where the scientific purpose is imparting or demonstrating knowledge or techniques to achieve an educational outcome in science, as specified in the relevant curriculum or competency requirements.<\/p>\n<p>If your study is a teaching study you need to complete the Research\/Teaching Ethics Application form in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/infoed.curtin.edu.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">InfoEd.<\/a><\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Research-studies\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Research-studies\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Research-studies\">Research studies<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Research-studies\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>Research is an original investigation undertaken to gain knowledge, understanding and insight, other than teaching or observational studies.<\/p>\n<p>If your study is a\u00a0research study you need to complete the Research\/Teaching Ethics Application form in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/infoed.curtin.edu.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">InfoEd.<\/a><\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n        \n<\/mimas-block>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Application deadlines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/infoed.curtin.edu.au\">Log on to InfoEd<\/a>&nbsp;where AEC meeting dates and applications deadlines can be found under the help tab. If you can&#8217;t access InfoEd email&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:infoed@curtin.edu.au\">infoed@curtin.edu.au<\/a>&nbsp;for support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintaining your animal research ethics approval<\/h2>\n\n\n<mimas-block \n        block-name=\"accordion\"\n        role=\"complementary\"\n        aria-label=\"Accordion content\"\n        data-segment=\"all\">\n\n                \n\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Maintaining-your-approval\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Maintaining-your-approval\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Maintaining-your-approval\">Maintaining your approval<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Maintaining-your-approval\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>To stay compliant with ethics approval and ensure ongoing approval of a research study, all existing applications must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Submit an annual progress report on the anniversary of the ethics approval (your project will be approved for an additional 12 months).<\/li>\n<li>Submit an annual animal use report.<\/li>\n<li>Submit an amendment form when there is a change in protocol and\/or number of animals.<\/li>\n<li>Submit a form to change or add an investigator.<\/li>\n<li>Submit a completion report\u00a0on completion of the research.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/infoed.curtin.edu.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Log into InfoEd<\/a>\u00a0to submit animal use,\u00a0annual and completion reports, make changes to the project (through an amendment request) and submit information on reportable events.<\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Annual-Progress-Report\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Annual-Progress-Report\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Annual-Progress-Report\">Annual Progress Report<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Annual-Progress-Report\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>Each year during the life of a project on the anniversary of the animal ethics approval, the\u00a0Chief Investigator must submit the completed Annual Progress Report to the Curtin Ethics Office. The report should contain:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What progress has been made to date and whether the project is meeting its aims;<\/li>\n<li>Any issues that may have interfered with progress of the project;<\/li>\n<li>How many animals have been used; and<\/li>\n<li>Whether the wellbeing of the animals is consistent with that anticipated in the proposal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Annual-Animal-Use-Report\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Annual-Animal-Use-Report\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Annual-Animal-Use-Report\">Annual Animal Use Report<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Annual-Animal-Use-Report\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>This report must be submitted each calendar year. The\u00a0Chief Investigators will report on the number of animals used for the 12 month period ending on 31 December. This is a legislative government requirement that applies to all registered institutions and investigators working for these institutions that have used animals during the year (applies to ongoing and completed projects within WA, interstate and overseas).<\/p>\n<p>The deadline for submitting the report is 20\u00a0February the following year.<\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Amendments\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Amendments\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Amendments\">Amendments<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Amendments\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>If your study is changed in any way you must submit an amendment request. Amendments to the protocol must not be acted on until approval has been given by the Animal Research Office.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Examples of protocol amendments are:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Change in the primary hypothesis<\/li>\n<li>Change to the design of the study<\/li>\n<li>Additional outcomes or exposures<\/li>\n<li>Change in definition to the study population (increased or decreased numbers, change in species etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Extension of time periods<\/li>\n<li>Additional analysis (statistical or biological) that are not part of the main findings<\/li>\n<li>Any other deviation from the originally approved study protocol.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Change or addition of investigator<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Curtin students and staff must be approved by the Animal Ethics Committee prior to working with animals.<\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Adverse-events\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Adverse-events\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Adverse-events\">Adverse events<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Adverse-events\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p><strong>You must report all unexpected adverse events<\/strong>\u00a0to the Animal Ethics Committee within 24 hours of being aware of the events.<\/p>\n<p>To report an adverse event, fill out the Adverse Event form in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/infoed.curtin.edu.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">InfoEd<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhmrc.gov.au\/about-us\/publications\/australian-code-care-and-use-animals-scientific-purposes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes 8th Edition (2014)<\/a>\u00a0defines adverse event and unexpected adverse event as follows:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Adverse event<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0any event that has a negative impact on the wellbeing of an animal. See also &#8216;Unexpected adverse event&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unexpected adverse event<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0an event that may have a negative impact on the wellbeing of animals and was not foreshadowed in the approved project or activity.<\/p>\n<p>An unexpected adverse event may result from different causes, including but not limited to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Death of an animal, or group of animals, that was not expected (e.g. during surgery or anaesthesia, or after a procedure or treatment).<\/li>\n<li>Adverse effects following a procedure or treatment that were not expected.<\/li>\n<li>Adverse effects in a larger number of animals than predicted during the planning of the project or activity, based on the number of animals actually used, not the number approved for the study.<\/li>\n<li>A greater level of pain or distress than was predicted during the planning of the project or activity.<\/li>\n<li>Power failures, inclement weather, emergency situations or other factors external to the project or activity that have a negative impact on the welfare of the animals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n        \n<\/mimas-block>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Animal ethics forms and procedures<\/h2>\n\n\n<mimas-block \n        block-name=\"accordion\"\n        role=\"complementary\"\n        aria-label=\"Accordion content\"\n        data-segment=\"all\">\n\n                \n\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Animal-use-competency-registration-form\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Animal-use-competency-registration-form\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Animal-use-competency-registration-form\">Animal use competency registration form<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Animal-use-competency-registration-form\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2021\/12\/animal-use-competency-v0.3.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Animal use competency registration form\u00a0 [.pdf 134 kB]<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title-Forms-and-reports-in-InfoEd\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"Forms-and-reports-in-InfoEd\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title-Forms-and-reports-in-InfoEd\">Forms and reports in InfoEd<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"Forms-and-reports-in-InfoEd\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>Log into\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/infoed.curtin.edu.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">InfoEd<\/a>\u00a0to complete\u00a0an animal\u00a0ethics application.<\/p>\n<p>You may also submit the following reports through InfoEd:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Reciprocal ethics application<\/li>\n<li>Annual animal use report<\/li>\n<li>Annual progress report<\/li>\n<li>Completion report<\/li>\n<li>Protocol amendment request<\/li>\n<li>Adverse\u00a0event<\/li>\n<li>Change of investigator<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"accordion\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-title--Accessing-the-standard-operating-procedure\">\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"accordion__heading\" aria-controls=\"-Accessing-the-standard-operating-procedure\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n            <div class=\"title\" id=\"accordion-title--Accessing-the-standard-operating-procedure\"> Accessing the standard operating procedure<\/div>\n            <div class=\"icon\"><\/div>\n        <\/button>\n        <div class=\"accordion__content\" id=\"-Accessing-the-standard-operating-procedure\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <p>To access the standard operating procedure for animal ethics, please contact the AWO&#8217;s on\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:AWO@curtin.edu.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AWO@curtin.edu.au<\/a>\u00a0and they will add you to the teams site where the SOP&#8217;s are managed.<\/p>\n\n        \n                            \n                    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n        \n<\/mimas-block>\n\n<mimas-block \n        block-name=\"cards\"\n        data-segment=\"dom\">\n\n    \n\n        <div class=\"card-grid\"\n         data-card-size=\"standard\"         data-card-count=\"1\"\n         data-card-background=\"gray\">\n                    <div  id=\"contact-the-animal-ethics-office-and-committee\" class=\"card\" data-type=\"\" aria-label=\"contact-the-animal-ethics-office-and-committee\"><div class=\"inner\"><div class=\"card__title\"><h3>Contact the Animal Ethics Office and Committee<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card__content\"><p>The\u00a0<strong>Animal Research Ethics Office<\/strong>\u00a0is responsible for managing and facilitating the ethical review process for research involving animals.<\/p><p>The\u00a0<strong>Curtin Animal Ethics Committee<\/strong>\u00a0is constituted and operates in accordance with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhmrc.gov.au\/about-us\/publications\/australian-code-care-and-use-animals-scientific-purposes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes<\/a>.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/students\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2025\/08\/Animal-Ethics-Committee-Terms-of-Reference.pdf\">View the Animal Ethics Committee Terms of Reference [.pdf 217kB]<\/a><\/p><p>Email:\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:aec@curtin.edu.au\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">aec@curtin.edu.au<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>            <\/div>\n<\/mimas-block>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All research on animals conducted on Curtin campuses or by Curtin students or staff must [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":369,"featured_media":0,"parent":12331,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14260","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-07-04 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