Abstract
Spring 2013 marked the onset of the practical implementation of the new regulation Directive 2010/63/EU within the European Union on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The so long-awaited revision of a regulation of minimum requirements published in the 1980 s hit the real world, and even though it announced the coming into force for almost three years, in practice, the first six months of 2013 witnessed legal gaps, inconsistencies, conflicts and mixed interpretations within the EU countries. Regardless of the implementation strategy set by the Commission, trying to align the interpretation at the national level, the national idiosyncrasy and legal structure collided sometimes with the new frame set. However, these times have passed. The main points have been incorporated into our everyday life and we are now looking into details or just improving the main topics, bringing them to a new level. Terms such as Culture of Care, Severity, Education, Rehoming, Continuous Professional Development … are now part of our everyday language, and looking back we can get the perspective of the huge improvement we have witnessed during these years.
FELASA has played an important role in this transformation and, at the same time, this transformation has also shaped FELASA. I want to share with you the transcendental role played at three levels, as a source of expert advice in the preliminary steps of regulatory development, as stakeholder during new regulation consultations, and as a tool to harmonize its application and understanding after release. As a result, tools that were not foreseen 10 years ago are now a normal part of our activity.
Since its foundation, FELASA has promoted education as a key factor to ensure the highest standards in laboratory animal science. For years, the so-called FELASA categories have been inspiring the best education programmes not only in Europe, but also outside European borders. This philosophy was fully incorporated in the Directive creating an education structure based on functions that resembled closely the FELASA original scheme. It was not a coincidence that several FELASA experts on education were involved in the preliminary redaction of this scheme, including modules and learning outcome definitions. FELASA adaptation to the functions brought by the new regulations was fast and the Board for Education and Training implemented during 2013 the new accreditation programme of courses based on the new frame brought about by the Directive. Now that the basic training has been set, the next step is Continuous Professional Development, and FELASA is engaged in the revision of this specific topic, bringing the recommendations stated in 2009 to the new frame set by the Directive.
Severity assessment, prospective and retrospective, was another new concept with a high impact on those carrying out experiments with animals. Initial surveys demonstrated that even though black and white cases were easily identified (no versus severe harm), the multiple grey scales that could be either mild or moderate required harmonization. Several FELASA experts jointly with other organizations such as ESLAV or ECLAM produced a series of examples of severity classification that were incorporated as annexes to the Directive, and not only that, but a huge effort to give in situ training in classification was started by FELASA in 2016 during our congress in Brussels. Later, these initial workshops evolved into a scheme aiming to train trainers that could deliver a homogeneous interpretation of severity assessment in practice in national languages. The goal was obvious: to reach as many professionals as possible, from technicians to animal welfare officers and local competent authorities. This deliverable in the form of a workshop is another upgrade that FELASA has incorporated into its structure, and that will be explored in future topics, the closest one being statistical report of experiments, but more will follow.
FELASA structure and functioning has also evolved, including in location; since 2022 we have been based in Belgium. We have made our structure more flexible, opening it to another kind of membership that could bring specific inputs, enriching our community. We have also dynamized our everyday functioning. COVID-19 forced us to transform our bi-annual one-day-long meetings into a 3 h scheme repeated several times during the year. This has been proven to work towards a more effective decision-making system that will remain.
The revision of our statutes and the critical review of our everyday functioning has brought some ideas to improve working groups outcome. For the first time in FELASA history, two working groups had to be cancelled, but it is a very small proportion in the total number of positive outcomes. However, we gained a crucial experience that will help us to overcome this problem in the future. Structure and functioning of working groups will need to be adapted to increase efficiency.
At last, FELASA is also adapting to the requirement to enforce continuous upgrading of our professional activity. The triennial congress, being an extremely important part of our activity, should be complemented and reinforced with more specifically directed actions, needing to be shaped with the aim to reinforce the local associations in their educational activities and provide some support in the effort to implement best practice in laboratory animal science.
FELASA 2023 also faces changes. On one side, Marcel Gyger, Vice-President (VP) of Education and Training and also chair of the Education & Training Board, and Martina Dorsch, VP of Working Groups, have finished their generous and crucial work in the FELASA Executive Committee and have left us, but we are welcoming Livia D’Angelo and Chris van Ginneken, with new ideas and views. Also, 2023 brings a new FELASA President, Klas Abelson. I will remain for one more year as Past-President after having the honour to represent FELASA for two years.
I wish to finish listing the 2023 FELASA Executive Committee, which will face new tasks in the continual effort to adapt FELASA to the needs of the more than 5000 members of its member associations, a challenge we are more than willing to accept: FELASA President: Klas Abelson; Past-President: Belén Pintado; Secretary: Jean-Philippe Mocho; Treasurer: Martina Perše; VP Education and Training: Chris van Ginneken; VP Working Groups: Livia D’Angelo; VP International Affairs: Samuel Vidal.
Have a safe and fruitful 2023!