368 • Alternatives to Animal Use in Research, Testing, and Education 
some 20 to 30 percent of experiments do not re- 
quire anesthetics (though the figure is steadily de- 
creasing); that more than 10 percent of the ani- 
mals are killed without treatment to obtain organs 
or blood; that about 10 percent of the operations 
end in euthanasia or slight pain; and that the great- 
est number of experiments producing significant 
pain are those involving pathogens, immunization, 
or toxic substances. 
The Government entrusts most of the responsi- 
bility for administering the law to the head of the 
research enterprise to whom licenses are issued. 
The director of research need not be an expert, 
but he or she is responsible for appointing experts 
to ensure that: 
• animal technicians involved in licensed exper- 
iments are qualified and accredited up to the 
level established by the Ministry; 
• those engaged in animal experimentation co- 
operate in matters affecting the welfare of the 
subjects; 
• research workers are qualified to perform as- 
signed tasks; and 
• the welfare of experimental animals is super- 
vised by a qualified veterinary surgeon or 
equivalent professional. 
From January 1986, licensed institutions are re- 
quired to have an institutional ethics committee 
composed of persons of several disciplines, includ- 
ing ethics, who oversee all experiments (31). 
Licensed institutions must keep records on ex- 
periments and care. They are further required to 
report research activities, including data on num- 
bers of animals used by type and purpose. The 
information is available to the public. 
The law also provides for establishment of a cen- 
tral veterinary inspectorate under the Ministry of 
Public Health, responsible for: 
• registering research facilities, as of 1984 (22); 
• periodically inspecting facilities conducting re- 
search; 
• issuing regulations and guidelines governing 
laboratory animal housing; and 
• regulating sources (breeders and suppliers) 
of laboratory animals. 
In addition, the law also authorizes the appoint- 
ment of an advisory committee of persons skilled 
in animal experimentation, laboratory-animal 
science, and animal welfare to advise the Minis- 
try. This committee includes two representatives 
of animal welfare organizations. The committee 
participates in the drafting of regulations and other 
aspects of implementing the 1976 law. 
The Ministry of Public Health is the central en- 
forcement agency for the 1976 law. It has the pow- 
er to issue detailed regulations on laboratory -ani- 
mal treatment and presides over them using teams 
of veterinary inspectors who supervise and ad- 
vise research institutions. The director of the re- 
search facility is also expected to enforce stand- 
ards of care and treatment. 
Regulations require that investigators and tech- 
nicians complete training in laboratory-animal 
principles and techniques (22), including a 20-day 
course that emphasizes animal well-being and the 
social and ethical aspects of animal use (53). A 4- 
year program for training animal technicians is 
also available. 
Data compiled from the 1983 annual reports in- 
dicate that there are 71 licensed institutes (con- 
taining 387 distinct research departments); 2,118 
investigators working directly with animals; 2,541 
persons involved in animal care management; and 
4,683 students taking classes involving animal ex- 
periments. 
Indications of the commitment to protecting ani- 
mals are the use of experimental review commit- 
tees in 17 percent of the departments surveyed 
and the fact that in 19 of 71 establishments, meth- 
ods had been introduced to replace animals in ex- 
periments, reduce the use of animals, or refine 
procedures (54). Furthermore, there has been a 
steady decline in the use of experimental animals 
over the reporting years, from 1.6 million in 1978 
to 1.3 million in 1983. Of these, mice account for 
about 56 percent and rats, about 26 percent. 
Norway 
Norway requires more of people in their be- 
havior toward animals than most other countries. 
The Welfare of Animals Act, passed in 1974 and 
in effect since 1977, even goes as far as requiring 
people encountering a domestic animal or tame 
reindeer in pain to come to its assistance or to call 
