Opinion: Prospective Assessment of Cumulative Severity

As part of the licensing process, animal experiments are classified in severity categories. To come to a well-founded estimate of the level of severity, it is important for those involved in the experiment to evaluate what happens to the animal, what this means for the animal, whether refinement can be applied, what the monitoring frequency should be, what humane or other endpoints (if applicable) exist and, finally, what other factors need to be taken into account in the estimate. The Central Authority for Scientific Procedures on Animals (CCD) asked us to develop guidelines that could be used to predict the effects of the accumulation of severity (cumulative severity) more accurately and consistently.

Our opinion report describes what aspects are important for estimating the level of severity. It outlines the factors that contribute to cumulative severity (in addition to the obvious effects of the procedures and interventions). These factors can affect cumulative severity either positively or negatively. The report also describes which tools or models are available for estimating cumulative severity.