ETHICAL ISSUE

Within the project whenever the agreement of local ethical committees is needed, concerned partners will provide ethical committee agreements before starting the related testing work packages (human samples, animals, transgenic animals). Copy of these documents will be provided to the Commission with the reports.

During the course of the experiments the rules and regulations in the respective countries concerning animal experimentations, genetically altered organisms and biosafety will be monitored and fully enforced by the respective national authorities.

The participants have been seeking the approval of the relevant national or local ethics committees. Specific authorization of personal, project and establishment licenses to perform the experiments described in the NAD proposal, including required ethical committee approvals are already granted or under approval procedures to the institutions involved.

Safety of animal experimentation is also a critical concern for all participants. For animal tests, staff

will be suitably protected from any possible infectious diseases that can be passed on by animals. All animal procedures will be performed in accordance with the International Guiding Principles for

Animal Research (Howard-Jones, 1985).

The participants will conform to the current legislation, regulations and ethical rules in the countries

where the research will be carried out.