One of the NCad’s most important tasks is to alert others to – and disseminate – best practices in the area of animal procedures and the options with regard to the Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of such procedures. The NCad also focuses on fostering the development and harmonization of best practices, as well as their acceptance at national and international level. In this way, the NCAD aims to promote the application of 3R methods.
The NCad takes the view that cooperation with the national committees of other countries is an essential prerequisite to the widespread use of best practices. As far as possible, the NCad will take the initiative for this international cooperation.
The NCad has worked out best practices on a number of subjects, as Codes of Practice as part of NCad opinions. All NCad advisory reports are translated into English immediately after publication in Dutch.
Research report Codes of Practice
Codes of Practice (COPs) are not non-binding advices. If a CoP has been drawn up by experts, is current and known in the laboratory animal field, it should be followed according to the Animal Experiments Act. Deviation from a CoP is only possible if there are good reasons.
Government trainee Jeffrey de Hoogen has drawn up in 2020 an internal advice for the NCad on how to deal with CoPs. In the report he has drawn up, he describes the importance of CoPs and the topicality of the Dutch CoPs. He also discusses the process of drawing up a CoP. Jeffrey also made a work schedule for the latter. The preparation of new CoP and updating of existing CoPs is coordinated by the NCad together with the IvD platform (the platform of Animal Welfare Bodies). A working group of experts creates or updates the CoP.