REGULATIONS OF ANIMAL EXPERIMENTATION
Animal experimentation in India is governed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA Act) of 1960, as well as the Rules enacted under the revised Acts of 1998 and 2001.
This is carried out by the “Committee for the Purpose of Control & Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA).” It is a legislative body established in 1964 under Section 15(1) of Chapter 4 of the PCA Act by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change. The CPCSEA sets rules for conducting animal research and maintaining animal houses.Animal houses must be registered with the CPCSEA and renewed every three years. Currently, 1723 facilities in India have registered with CPCSEA to undertake animal studies. In addition to the CPCSEA’s norms and procedures, the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have developed recommendations for the care and use of animals in scientific research and medical colleges. In 2003, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) directed all Indian pharmacy colleges to replace classroom animal experiments with computer-aided learning software (Figure 26.1, Figure 26.2, Figure 26.3, Figure 26.4 & Figure 26.5).
Also in 2003, MCI’s Executive Committee concluded: “As an alternative to these animal testing, JIPMER, Pondicherry, has developed EX-PHARM Blank CD. This CD has been carefully produced as a complete replacement for animals used in undergraduate courses in Medicine, Pharmacology, and Veterinary Science.” More recently, in 2011, the University Grants Commission announced directions to end dissection and experimentation on live animals in zoology and life science courses. Since 2013, India has prohibited the testing of cosmetic items sold in the country, becoming the first country in South Asia to do so. Not only that, but India has prohibited the import of animal-tested cosmetics from other countries! India has also prohibited animal testing of soaps and detergents manufactured in the country.
In April 2016, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi and the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare banned animal testing on domestic products manufactured in India.
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