At the IIMCB’s zebrafish core facility, all research and breeding activities adhere to fundamental ethical principles: the Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, and the Polish Act of 15 January 2015 on the protection of animals used for scientific or educational purposes (Journal of Laws of 2015, item 266, as amended). In addition, we comply with the European and Polish guidelines established by the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations (FELASA) and the Polish Laboratory Animal Science Association (PolLASA). Scientists who use zebrafish for research purposes are required by legislation to obtain certification to work with this animal model. IIMCB is under the authority of the 2nd Local Ethics Committee for Animal Experiments in Warsaw and has an Animal Welfare Committee that oversees animal welfare compliance. The establishment of such a commission and its responsibilities are defined by the Polish Act of 15 January 2015 on the protection of animals used for scientific or educational purposes (Journal of Laws of 2015, item 266, as amended).

Scientists who want to conduct experiments with zebrafish larvae older than 120 hours post fertilization or adult fish are required by law to complete a laboratory animal science course.