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To use animals as part of a research project you need to be aware of all your responsibilities including the processes to obtain approval to use animals and on-going reporting requirements. You also need to appreciate that the use of animals in research is not only a scientific issue but involves complex ethical questions. For this reason, Animal Ethics Committees have been established. They bring together people from different backgrounds and it is their responsibility to determine whether a reasonable case has been put to justify any animal use. As a researcher you must justify any use of animals on the basis of the potential benefits from the information to be gained balanced against the possible risk to the well-being of the animals involved. You must be able to show that the use of animals is necessary and that the minimum numbers of animals will be used with minimal impact.
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