Assessing the knowledge of ethical clearance and animal welfare among researchers in Indonesia: A cross-sectional study

Background and Aim: Ethical treatment of animals in scientific research is fundamental to ensuring data integrity and public trust. In Indonesia, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) plays a key role in ethical oversight, yet the extent of researchers’ knowledge regarding its roles and animal welfare (AW) principles remains unclear. This study assessed the level of understanding (UN) of ethical clearance and AW practices among researchers at the Indonesian Centre for Animal Research and Development (ICARD), focusing on variations based on educational background and professional position. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving 107 researchers from ICARD was conducted using a structured digital questionnaire assessing knowledge across three domains: IACUC roles, ethical clearance procedures, and AW imple­mentation. Participants were stratified by educational background (veterinary vs. non-veterinary [NV]) and professional position. Non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis) were used to evaluate group differences, with post hoc Dunn’s tests where applicable. Results: Veterinary researchers showed significantly greater UN of AW implementation (p < 0.01) and marginally higher knowledge of ethical clearance procedures (p < 0.10) compared to non-veterinarians. While IACUC knowledge was high across both groups, no significant differences were found (p = 0.161). By researcher position, prospective researchers demonstrated the lowest comprehension of AW practices (mean rank = 32.30), while junior researchers and research pro­fessors had the highest levels (mean ranks = 62.06 and 62.31, respectively). Position-based differences in IACUC and ethical clearance UN were not statistically significant, but significant variation was found in AW implementation (p = 0.035). Conclusion: This study reveals critical disparities in the UN of ethical clearance and AW among Indonesian researchers, par­ticularly between veterinary and NV backgrounds and across researcher positions. Targeted ethics training, especially for early-career and NV researchers, is essential. Institutional policies should reinforce mandatory certification and continuous professional development to foster ethical research practices and enhance AW compliance.