China’s Animal Testing Policies

While scientific research has taken great strides in the pursuit of knowledge and advancement, it has become increasingly dependent on the use of animals in experiments. China is the leading nation in using animals in research and exporting them to scientists in other countries. Because of the lower cost of caring for animals and the more lenient nature of China’s research regulations, some scientists in the US opt to conduct their animal research there instead. China uses an average of 12 to 13 million animals for research and exports around 40,000 primates per year, making ethical considerations of animal welfare in China increasingly important. 

So what exactly are China’s laws on using animals in scientific research?

In China, institutions such as the Chinese Association of Laboratory Animal Science, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), and the Ministry of Health oversee regulations on animal research. In 1988, MOST implemented Regulations for the Administration of Laboratory Animals, a law defining the foundation of China’s regulations. In 1992, the Ministry of Health published the Detailed Implementation Rules for the Administration of Laboratory Animals Used in Medical Experiments and the Standards for Medical Experiments Using Animals to build upon those rules. However, finer regulations vary across different provinces and municipalities in China. In 2006, MOST published an important policy paper called Guidelines for the Humane Treatment of Laboratory Animals, intended to protect animal welfare in research.

The Regulations for the Administration of Laboratory Animals (1988), the very first national law addressing animal testing in China, improved animal conditions in research settings by dictating basic animal handling guidelines that educators and researchers must follow. However, while Article 2 of the legislation defines “laboratory animals” to be artificially bred, there exists a loophole in all related regulations as no rules limit the experimentation of non-artifically bred animals. The remaining regulations outlined procedures for the proper care of laboratory animals, including guidelines against abuse and the provision of food, water, clean standardized cages, and veterinary care. However, through Article 2’s loophole, many researchers in China could still bypass these rules. While the 1988 regulations provided provisions for the care of lab animals, they only served to complement the law’s main objective—ensuring the maintenance of high-quality lab animals. Nevertheless, the regulations still provided a basic framework for future policies on lab animal welfare.

Guidelines for the Humane Treatment of Laboratory Animals (2006) built upon the foundations of the 1988 regulations. Another important animal welfare policy, it specifically aimed to improve conditions for animals in research and marked the first explicit use of the term “animal welfare” in government. Along with more humane guidelines for appropriately spacious cages, improved care for pregnant and nursing animals, and exercise space for some animals, the document also raised awareness of the “3Rs” of animal research: replacement, reduction, and refinement, an idea that MOST had introduced back in 1997. The document’s stipulations included reducing the pain animals experienced during research, providing anesthetics for appropriate procedures, and humanely euthanizing animals. In particular, the guidelines also required the creation of animal ethics committees to oversee and ensure the protection of animals’ rights in every lab.

Though China has progressed in addressing animal welfare in laboratory settings, its legislations still contain major loopholes, making it more difficult for the government to enforce these regulations effectively. The Guidelines for the Humane Treatment of Laboratory Animals (2006) stipulate punitive measures for violations, including warnings, deadlines for improvement, and full shutdown of the offending group or individual. However, the government lacks the means to assess the scope of ethical guidelines in every laboratory comprehensively. To evade regulations, some organizations simply conduct research without the legal authorization of their committees. Due to the often private nature of research, lack of transparency can also lead to difficulties in enforcing animal welfare regulations, an issue that China continues to work toward a solution for.

Despite its existing limitations, China’s current policies provide a strong groundwork for the future as the Ministry of Science and Technology continues to implement more animal welfare laws in research.

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Brief History of Animal Testing in the United States