Annual reporting and renewal

There are a number of annual reporting requirements for your project:

1. AEC Annual progress report

As a condition of an approval and in order for your approved animal ethics projects to continue each year, you must provide written annual progress reports to the Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) (Code 2.2.37)

Each year during the life of a project, the Chief Investigator will be prompted by the AEC Secretariat (around 4 weeks prior to the anniversary of the project) to complete an Annual Report form (by a set date). In this report the AEC will be advised on:

• what progress has been achieved, and whether the project is meeting its aims;
• any problems that may have interfered with progress of the project;
• how many animals have been used; and
• whether the well-being of the animals is consistent with that anticipated in the proposal.

2. AEC Final report

When your project expires or is discontinued, a Final Report is required to be submitted for review by the AEC (Code 2.2.39). This is an opportunity to detail any scientific achievements associated with the project, as well as any variation from anticipated animal numbers. Researchers must also explain any animal welfare concerns encountered during the project and what lessons may have been learned.

3. Annual Government Statistic report

This report is submitted each calendar year. A form is circulated in December of each year for reporting on animal numbers used. This is a requirement for all investigators that have used animals during the year and applies to ongoing and completed projects completed within NSW, interstate or overseas.

This is a legislative government requirement for all registered institutions. In NSW, institutional annual reports are required to be provided to the Department of Primary Industries.