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 />
c<strong>on</strong>cept <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> improving welfare as well as <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> reducing suffering, and to encompass husbandry<br />
and care as well as procedures. Reducing suffering and improving animal welfare are<br />
important for the following four reas<strong>on</strong>s:<br />
■ First, as discussed in Chapters 3 and 4, it is clear that <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> can suffer and that their<br />
suffering needs to be taken seriously.<br />
■ Sec<strong>on</strong>dly, societal c<strong>on</strong>cerns about the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and acceptance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> different uses,<br />
appears to depend to a c<strong>on</strong>siderable degree <strong>on</strong> the amount <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> suffering experienced<br />
by <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
■ Thirdly, both the physical and psychological welfare <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> laboratory <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> has a significant<br />
effect <strong>on</strong> the experimental results. For example, sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity<br />
is significantly increased in mice housed in stressful c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s such as social deprivati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> SNS c<strong>on</strong>trols many different body systems including the immune and gastrointestinal<br />
systems. Any change in SNS functi<strong>on</strong> will therefore have widespread effects <strong>on</strong> the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
and <strong>on</strong> their physiological resp<strong>on</strong>ses that will effect experimental data. 17<br />
■ Fourthly, the law c<strong>on</strong>trolling experiments <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> requires animal suffering to be<br />
minimised.<br />
Thus, aside from the moral and legal requirement to reduce and prevent suffering, good<br />
animal welfare is c<strong>on</strong>sistent with good science and also ensures the effective use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
resources, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
Potential for Refinement<br />
12.10 Of all the Three Rs, Refinement to reduce suffering and improve welfare is probably the<br />
easiest to achieve in the short term for all types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal use, as highlighted in the<br />
following resp<strong>on</strong>se to the C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong>:<br />
‘It is attractive, and undoubtedly important, to focus a great deal <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> effort <strong>on</strong> the<br />
development <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Replacement methods. However, it is important that expectati<strong>on</strong>s about<br />
the scope for replacement with n<strong>on</strong>-animal methods should not be unrealistic and that<br />
focus <strong>on</strong> Replacement should not be at the expense <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> efforts for Refinement. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
potential for improvements through Refinement – making <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ lives better through<br />
better husbandry, better <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> techniques, and better veterinary methods to alleviate<br />
discomfort and stress – should not be underestimated.’<br />
UFAW<br />
12.11 However, in order to achieve maximum effect, it is essential to be aware <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the kind <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Refinements available and how best to implement them. Since Refinement c<strong>on</strong>cerns the<br />
reducti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> suffering, a crucial prerequisite is to be able to recognise what causes, or is<br />
likely to cause, <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> to suffer (see Chapter 4). As we have noted, there are many sources<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> potential suffering throughout the lifetime <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> each animal which may need to be<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sidered in additi<strong>on</strong> to those resulting from scientific procedures and their effects<br />
(paragraphs 4.49–4.59).<br />
Some specific examples <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Refinement<br />
12.12 Further to the discussi<strong>on</strong> in Chapter 4, we now c<strong>on</strong>sider examples <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> four especially<br />
important areas in which Refinement can be implemented: housing, husbandry and care,<br />
experimental procedures, pain management and humane endpoints.<br />
17 Gentle MJ (2001) Attenti<strong>on</strong>al shifts alter pain percepti<strong>on</strong> in the chicken Anim Welfare 10: S187–94.<br />
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