The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
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T h e e t h i c s o f r e s e a r c h i n v o l v i n g a n i m a l s<br />
Summary <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Secti<strong>on</strong> 2<br />
10.1 Below we summarise the findings <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Secti<strong>on</strong> 2, which c<strong>on</strong>cerned the scientific uses <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and the implicati<strong>on</strong>s for welfare in four different c<strong>on</strong>texts: basic <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> (Chapter<br />
5); <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> as models for human disease (Chapters 6 and 7); pharmaceutical <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> and<br />
development (Chapter 8); and toxicity testing (Chapter 9). We also address more specifically<br />
issues which c<strong>on</strong>cern the transferability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> results obtained from animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> to humans.<br />
Basic <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> (Chapter 5)<br />
10.2 Basic or curiosity-driven <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> encompasses a wide range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> behavioural, physiological,<br />
developmental and genetic studies. In Chapter 5 we described a number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> experiments to<br />
show that animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> in this area extends from mostly observati<strong>on</strong>al to highly invasive<br />
experiments. Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, such as the study <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> birds<strong>on</strong>g, is undertaken primarily to<br />
increase our knowledge <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the animal kingdom (see paragraphs 5.2-5.3). Other areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> basic<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> seek to improve understanding about fundamental biological processes. Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
this knowledge may eventually lead to applicati<strong>on</strong>s from which humans benefit directly.<br />
Observati<strong>on</strong>al <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
10.3 Observati<strong>on</strong>al <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in their natural habitat is undertaken for purposes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> and in order to understand, for example, patterns <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> social interacti<strong>on</strong>s<br />
between <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. If c<strong>on</strong>ducted with care, it may not result in obvious adverse effects to the<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> effects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> behavioural studies undertaken in laboratory envir<strong>on</strong>ments depend<br />
<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>tingent factors, such as transport, breeding, the standards <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> handling and<br />
husbandry and c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> housing (see paragraphs 4.36-4.48 and 12.21) as well as <strong>on</strong><br />
those that are determined by the experiment itself. We included the comm<strong>on</strong> example <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
mazes used to investigate aspects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> rodent learning and memory (see paragraph 5.4). <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
actual experimental setting <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these behavioural studies would normally be expected to<br />
cause the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>ly relatively minor distress or suffering, if any. However, some<br />
behavioural studies include manipulati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the envir<strong>on</strong>ment that make certain tasks more<br />
difficult or unpleasant for the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> welfare implicati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> such procedures depend<br />
<strong>on</strong> the degree to which the challenges are experienced as stressful by the animal.<br />
CHAPTER 10 SUMMARY OF SECTION 2<br />
Physiological studies<br />
10.4 Physiological studies involve surgical, dietary or drug treatments that are directed at<br />
understanding functi<strong>on</strong> at the physiological, cellular or molecular levels. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>se types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
experiments have been undertaken in a wide range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> projects that c<strong>on</strong>tributed to<br />
current knowledge about human and animal biology, and medicine. Most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> our knowledge<br />
about the endocrine (horm<strong>on</strong>al) system, the immune system and the nervous system<br />
(paragraphs 5.5-5.11) is based <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Studies <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the resp<strong>on</strong>ses<br />
underlying graft rejecti<strong>on</strong> in immunodeficient rodents eventually facilitated the<br />
development <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> organ transplantati<strong>on</strong> in humans (see paragraph 5.8). Research <strong>on</strong><br />
immunodeficient rodents is now c<strong>on</strong>tributing to the understanding <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the complex<br />
processes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> diseases that affect the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS and other diseases<br />
(paragraph 5.9). With regard to welfare implicati<strong>on</strong>s malaise is a comm<strong>on</strong> feature <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
infecti<strong>on</strong> in humans and <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, which both show slowed locomoti<strong>on</strong>, poor appetite and<br />
abnormal body temperature. Sub-clinical infecti<strong>on</strong>s may become clinical in immunocompromised<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
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