With the amendment of the Law for the Humane Treatment and Management of Animals, the 3R principle has been given legal standing and "Refinement" among the three Rs is specified by the Standards Relating to the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals and Relief of Pain. In accordance with the consensus that appropriate
in vivo research should be better accomplished based on guidelines and not by stringent legislation, regulatory agencies promoting science and technology established basic policies for the conduct of animal experiments based on the 3R principle. The agencies requested the Science Council of Japan to formulate more detailed guidelines so that the guidelines can serve as a vital reference when institutions establish their in-house regulations. The amended Law and Standards and newly established Policies and Guidelines came into force on June 1, 2006.
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