ALTEX :: Alternatives to Animal Experiments

1999, VOLUME 3

The ZEBET Database and Information Service

Barbara Grune, Antje Dörendahl, Susanne Skolik and Horst Spielmann

ZEBET, BgVV, Berlin

SUMMARY

The ZEBET's Information Service provides its information primarily to the scientific and animal committees which are regulating the use of experimental animals according to EEC Directive 86 609 at the State and District level of the Federal Republic of Germany. ZEBET's Information Service will also answer information inquires from other institutions, the media, individual scientists and the general public. So fare, ZEBET's Information Service is not available as an on-line service or through the Internet, but has to be addressed to ZEBET by fax or mail. The ZEBET's Information Service not only consults the ZEBET database, but also the majority of on-line databanks, e.g. MEDLINE, EMBASE or TOXLINE. ZEBET's Information Service has responded to more than 1,800 inquiries. Of the 450 inquiries in 1998 approximately 50% were submitted by industry, universities and scientific institutions.

The ZEBET Data Bank was set up to document alternatives to the use of experimental animals from the international literature. The main concept of the ZEBET database is to evaluate and document alternative methods according to the "3R" concept of Russel and Burch (1959). Each document of a method contains a short description of a method and bibliographic references. In addition, an evaluation by the ZEBET staff indicates whether the method results in replacement, reduction or refinement of animal use. The documentation covers 300 methods, and more than 6,000 bibliographic references. Currently the ZEBET database is an in-house database. ZEBET is going to offer the database to the public through DIMDI, the German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information.

Keywords: 3R, database, information service, ZEBET, animal protection law