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 />
enquiries. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific method demands that <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> findings need to be corroborated by the same and other<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> groups, in order to establish the validity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the results.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Working Party acknowledges that academic competitiveness and commercial c<strong>on</strong>fidentiality can sometimes<br />
complicate the sharing <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> informati<strong>on</strong>. But at its best, science is an open process, and mechanisms that prevent the<br />
sharing <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> informati<strong>on</strong> need to be reviewed carefully in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> their justificati<strong>on</strong> and implicati<strong>on</strong>s for the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>text <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the debate<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>ers who use <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sider that despite progress in the implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs,<br />
animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> will remain an essential part <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> their work. Furthermore, certain provisi<strong>on</strong>s in the current regulatory<br />
framework for approval <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> chemical products and medicines require tests <str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. We c<strong>on</strong>clude that it is<br />
unrealistic to assume that all animal experimentati<strong>on</strong> will end in the short term. It is crucial, therefore, to create a climate<br />
in which the necessity and justificati<strong>on</strong> for using <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> is assessed and discussed fairly and with due respect for all views.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>structive debate would be facilitated by the provisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> clear informati<strong>on</strong> about the full implicati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the kind, numbers and species <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> used, as well as the pain, suffering and<br />
distress to which they can be subjected. It is equally important that society should be informed about the scientific,<br />
medical and other benefits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <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>. Informati<strong>on</strong> about selected aspects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> without<br />
provisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> any further c<strong>on</strong>text can be misleading.<br />
All members <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Working Party agree that the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> violence and intimidati<strong>on</strong> against members <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
community, <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> instituti<strong>on</strong>s, their business partners, family and neighbours, or against organisati<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
people representing animal welfare groups, is morally wr<strong>on</strong>g and politically insidious. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> freedom to promote or<br />
oppose <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> peacefully and democratically, however, must be maintained.<br />
* Sometimes, <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> are used in repeated experiments for the purpose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> educati<strong>on</strong> or training. However, we have not addressed<br />
the issues raised by this particular use here, see paragraph 1.18.<br />
III. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific rati<strong>on</strong>ale for using <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> and testing<br />
Although the focus <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this Report is <strong>on</strong> the ethical issues raised by animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, we also need<br />
to c<strong>on</strong>sider scientific questi<strong>on</strong>s. For if it were the case that harmful animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> provided no<br />
useful knowledge or applicati<strong>on</strong>, it would be difficult to see how it could be morally justified.<br />
Similarly, it is important to assess which potential scientific benefits might have to be forg<strong>on</strong>e, if<br />
animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> or testing in general, or in particular areas, were to be reduced or aband<strong>on</strong>ed,<br />
and could not be replaced adequately by scientific methods that do not involve <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> two<br />
principal questi<strong>on</strong>s which this Report seeks to clarify are therefore:<br />
■ does the scientific use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> lead to valid, useful and relevant results in specific areas?<br />
■ is it permissible for <strong>on</strong>e species to cause pain, suffering and death to another to achieve aims<br />
that benefit primarily the former species?<br />
Across and within each area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <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> described in Chapters 5–9 the intended<br />
and realised benefits take a wide range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> forms. Three main types can be distinguished.<br />
■ Advancing scientific knowledge<br />
Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, predominantly basic <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, has no direct applicati<strong>on</strong> and its primary purpose<br />
is to advance scientific knowledge about the way <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> behave, or develop and functi<strong>on</strong><br />
biologically. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> study <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> basic physiological processes and genetic mechanisms also falls into<br />
this category (Chapter 5).<br />
■ Using <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> as models for humans to study disease mechanisms and develop interventi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Animals are used as models for humans to understand disease processes and to develop<br />
effective preventative and therapeutic measures such as vaccines or medicines (Chapters 6–8).<br />
Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these interventi<strong>on</strong>s may also be used in, or have been developed specifically for,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Such <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten draws <strong>on</strong> findings from basic <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
■ Animals as models in toxicity testing<br />
Animals are used to test the safety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> compounds that are potentially hazardous for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, humans or the envir<strong>on</strong>ment (Chapter 9).<br />
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