Development of laboratory animal science in Lithuania

Abstract

The development of laboratory animal science (LAS) in Lithuania during the last decades is reviewed. Political changes in the 1990’s initiated development of LAS in Lithuania. Two aspects of LAS are analyzed – education and legislation. As regards education over 40 people possess FELASA category C certificates, a regular course on “Laboratory animal science” is delivered at Vilnius University, and a textbook “Basics of laboratory animal science” in Lithuanian has been published. Introduction of necessary legal Acts, establishment of the Lithuanian Ethics Committee on the use of laboratory animals under the State veterinary service, and the introduction of certification of experiments with vertebrate animals are the main results concerning legislation of laboratory animal science.