Development of the new Korean guidance on the Three Rs search: adaptations and use of the European Commission’s search guide

In Korea, investigators planning to use animals for scientific purposes must complete an animal use protocol and submit it to an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for approval prior to commencement of the study. The animal use protocol outlines how the Three Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) will be implemented in the proposed animal-based procedures after searching for the most up-to-date information on the Three Rs. Based on our national survey of the Korean IACUCs and investigators in 2012, 25% of the respondents were not aware of how or where to find the Three Rs alternatives. We consider that the promotion and protection of animal welfare is one of the core competencies of well educated investigators and other personnel involved in uses of animals. This paper details the development of the new Korean guidance on efficiently and effectively finding information on the Three Rs based on the EURL ECVAM Search Guide of the European Commission. This guide sets out a step-by-step search strategy which provides detailed instructions based on their roles, i.e., investigator or IACUC, and a loose-leaf publication which is suitable for regular updating