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 />
Informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> Replacements, educati<strong>on</strong> and training<br />
11.34 Many organisati<strong>on</strong>s provide informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> Replacement methods in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> and<br />
educati<strong>on</strong>. For example, ECVAM provides an <strong>on</strong>line database, the ECVAM Scientific<br />
Informati<strong>on</strong> System (SIS), which provides details <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> methods currently undergoing<br />
validati<strong>on</strong> 21 and, in Germany, the German Institute <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Medical Documentati<strong>on</strong> and<br />
Informati<strong>on</strong> (DIMDI) Center for Documentati<strong>on</strong> and Evaluati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Alternative Methods to<br />
Animal Experiments (ZEBET) gives access to a database called Animalt-Zebet, which has<br />
extensive informati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> Replacements. 22 A bibliographic database (Altbib) is maintained by<br />
the US Nati<strong>on</strong>al Library <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Medicine. 23<br />
11.35 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> provisi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> informati<strong>on</strong> in tertiary and postgraduate educati<strong>on</strong> has l<strong>on</strong>g been<br />
promoted by the RSPCA and is now being pursued in c<strong>on</strong>juncti<strong>on</strong> with the Boyd Group.<br />
Interniche has produced a comprehensive guidebook to educati<strong>on</strong>al alternatives 24 and there<br />
are web-based informati<strong>on</strong> services, such as the European Uni<strong>on</strong> Resource Centre for<br />
Alternatives in Higher Educati<strong>on</strong> (EURCA) 25 and the Norwegian Reference Centre for<br />
Laboratory Animal Science and Alternatives (NORINA). 26<br />
Summary<br />
11.36 In this chapter we have explored the c<strong>on</strong>cept <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Replacement approach, and its current<br />
and future applicati<strong>on</strong>s. We differentiated between complete Replacement, which relates to<br />
alternative methods that do not involve any use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, or animal tissue or organs, and<br />
incomplete Replacement, where either early developmental stages <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> or animal<br />
tissue, for example <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> humanely killed <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, is used. We argued that the c<strong>on</strong>cept <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Replacement is best understood in a broad sense. We also discussed several different ways in<br />
which n<strong>on</strong>-animal methods can be used: <strong>on</strong> the <strong>on</strong>e hand, they can replace existing tests; <strong>on</strong><br />
the other they may displace or avoid animal experiments altogether. N<strong>on</strong>-animal methods<br />
may also functi<strong>on</strong> as advanced methods, or as adjuncts to animal experiments.<br />
11.37 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> public debate about the potential for replacing <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> usually focuses <strong>on</strong> what is or is<br />
not possible with animal experiments in general. This is not particularly helpful or<br />
c<strong>on</strong>structive. We observed that the potential for achieving Replacement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> depends<br />
<strong>on</strong> the nature <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the specific scientific questi<strong>on</strong> being addressed and therefore has to be<br />
evaluated <strong>on</strong> a case by case basis rather than in general terms. Similarly, claims about<br />
whether or not Replacements are more ec<strong>on</strong>omic, faster or produce more reliable scientific<br />
data need to be assessed in the same way. Accordingly, we c<strong>on</strong>sidered a range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
approaches where Replacements are currently being used, including computer studies, in<br />
vitro methods and human studies.<br />
21 ECVAM Scientific Informati<strong>on</strong> Service, available at: http://ecvam-sis.jrc.it/. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 6 May 2005.<br />
22 German Institute <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Medical Documentati<strong>on</strong> and Informati<strong>on</strong> (DIMDI) Center for Documentati<strong>on</strong> and Evaluati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Alternative<br />
Methods to Animal Experiments (ZEBET) Animalt-Zebet, available at:<br />
http://www.dimdi.de/static/en/db/dbinfo/dbmemo/zt00eng.html. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 6 May 2005.<br />
23 Nati<strong>on</strong>al Library <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Medicine ALTBIB: Bibliography <strong>on</strong> Alternatives to the Use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Live Vertebrates in Biomedical Research and<br />
Testing, available at: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/altbib.html. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 6 May 2005.<br />
24 Jukes N and Chiuia M (2003) From Guinea Pig to Computer Mouse, 2nd Editi<strong>on</strong> (Leicester: Internati<strong>on</strong>al Network for Humane<br />
Educati<strong>on</strong>).<br />
25 European Resource Centre for Alternatives in Higher Educati<strong>on</strong> (EURCA) website, available at: http://www.eurca.org. Accessed<br />
<strong>on</strong>: 6 May 2005.<br />
26 Norwegian Reference Centre for Laboratory Animal Science & Alternatives (NORINA) website, available at:<br />
http://oslovet.veths.no. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 6 May 2005.<br />
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