Directive establishing conditions for animal research conducted outside Switzerland

  • Réf. 0295
  • Date de première publication : 22/01/2016

Table of contents

The University of Geneva requires all research involving animals, whether conducted in Switzerland or in other countries, to respect relevant ethical principles so as to ensure animal research that is responsible, ethical, and that takes into account the suffering and the welfare of animals.

These  ethical principles  are  based on the swissuniversities policy for animal research and  on  the “Principes  d'éthique et directives pour l'expérimentation animale" established jointly by the Swiss  Academy  of  Medical  Sciences  (SAMS)  and  the  Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT).

In certain cases defined in the present directive, animal research projects conducted outside Switzerland must be declared to the Commission for Animal Research and Experiments (CARE).

The definition of experiments involving animals used in this directive is that of the Swiss Animal Welfare Act.

Principal investigators must ensure that animal research projects conducted outside Switzerland are carried out in respect for relevant ethical principles, notably concerning application of 3R principles, reduction of strain for animals, and the protection of wildlife. To that end, in cases covered by the present directive, principal investigators must declare to the CARE Commission, as early as possible, any project with experiments involving animals conducted outside Switzerland by:

  • UNIGE employees;
  • Third parties in the framework of an academic collaboration that involves non-human primates or threatened wildlife species;
  • Contract research organizations, non-profit non-academic organizations, and/or academic institutions, on behalf of a UNIGE principal investigators.

UNIGE principal investigators must ensure that the project has been authorized or will be the subject of an authorization request submitted to the competent animal research authority for the country in question, if such exists.

Concerning research projects involving animals conducted outside Switzerland, the Commission:

  1. ensures that animal research projects conducted outside Switzerland  that are submitted to it respect the ethical principles based on the swissuniversities policy for animal research and on the ethical principales and directives on animal research of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS) and the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT);
  2. makes decisions regarding animal research projects conducted outside Switzerland that are submitted to it and establishes a constructive dialog with the researchers involved when it determines that to be necessary;
  3. updates and publishes the declaration form.

Principal investigators submit a declaration to the CARE Commission using the online form. The members of the Commission independently evaluate the declaration. They may request clarifications and/or call a meeting of the Commission. At such a meeting, the principal investigator may be invited to explain problematic details. Situations judged by the Commission to be problematic are reported to the Rectorate.

A Commission member who is directly involved in a research project is excluded from any deliberations concerning that project.

 

 


Version Purpose of the amendment Publication date
2 Translation update 11.04.2025
1

Controlled document updated in September 2019

Creation

22.01.2016
Auditor Fabrice Calame (Advisor for the Rectorate)
Approver Didier Raboud ( Secretary general)

Dernières modifications : 11/04/2025