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 />
12.16 Once species-specific needs have been identified, ways <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> satisfying the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ needs in a<br />
laboratory setting may be developed. Further to improving the welfare <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and the<br />
quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific results, implementati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Refinements have the benefit that <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
housed with a good quality and quantity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> space are frequently easier to handle and work<br />
with. Research shows that rats group-housed in enriched envir<strong>on</strong>ments are quicker to learn<br />
new tasks, less stressed, more c<strong>on</strong>fident, less aggressive and in better general c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong> than<br />
singly housed <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Such benefits can improve staff morale and encourage further<br />
explorati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> opportunities to implement all Three Rs.<br />
Refining experimental procedures<br />
12.17 As we have illustrated in Chapters 5-9, a very wide variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> experimental procedures is<br />
applied to laboratory <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, from those that are relatively minor, such as blood sampling,<br />
through to major surgery. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> procedures themselves may cause adverse effects (paragraph<br />
9.28) and there may also be adverse effects as a result <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a procedure (paragraph 4.54). For<br />
this reas<strong>on</strong> it is crucial to c<strong>on</strong>sider what opportunities there are to refine every aspect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
each procedure from start to finish. One particular category <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> procedures where there is<br />
great potential for Refinement is the administrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> substances to <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. 23 Such<br />
procedures are required for many experiments, for example to create a disease in order to<br />
study it, to test the effectiveness <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a new medicine, or to assess the toxicity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a chemical.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> techniques employed for such purposes, and in each case it is important<br />
to think about Refinement with respect to the animal’s immediate experience <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />
administrati<strong>on</strong> method and all that it entails. This assessment should include any distress<br />
from necessary handling and restraint (see paragraphs 4.44–4.47), as well as from the<br />
administrati<strong>on</strong> method itself. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> substance administered can also have a pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ound effect<br />
<strong>on</strong> the animal in the short and l<strong>on</strong>g term. For example, it may irritate the animal’s nose or<br />
stomach, or cause nausea or seizures.<br />
12.18 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> potential for Refinement may be understood better in c<strong>on</strong>sidering a specific example,<br />
such as the injecti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a substance into an animal’s joint to study arthritis (see paragraph 6.7)<br />
or to ascertain the efficacy <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> medicines to treat the disease. This procedure can be very<br />
painful and has the potential to cause swelling, inflammati<strong>on</strong> and infecti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the joint, and<br />
c<strong>on</strong>sequent lameness. Refinement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the technique encompasses several elements. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
needles used for injecti<strong>on</strong> must be the smallest size possible and the volume <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the substance<br />
given and frequency <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> dosing should also be kept to a minimum so as not to distend the joint.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal needs to be kept calm and held very still and the operator has to have a good<br />
knowledge <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the anatomy <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the joint. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> procedure should <strong>on</strong>ly be d<strong>on</strong>e <strong>on</strong>ce and to <strong>on</strong>e<br />
joint <strong>on</strong>ly. If all these Refinement aspects are fully implemented, the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> will suffer far less<br />
pain. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> guiding principle in this, and in any other aspect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Refinement, is never to assume<br />
that current practice is best practice, and to review all the techniques and protocols that are<br />
used at regular intervals. One helpful approach in devising possible improvements can be to<br />
think about a technique from the animal’s point <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> view and to ask how a specific procedure<br />
would feel if it were applied to <strong>on</strong>eself. While this suggesti<strong>on</strong> is not intended to encourage<br />
uncritical anthropomorphism (see paragraph 4.3) it can be a helpful tool in reviewing current<br />
practice in view <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> species-specific needs.<br />
Refining the management <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pain<br />
12.19 Reducing any pain associated with experiments is another important aspect <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Refinement.<br />
Success depends critically <strong>on</strong> the ability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> those dealing with the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> to recognise and<br />
23 Mort<strong>on</strong> DB, Jennings M, Buckwell A et al. (2001) Refining procedures for the administrati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> substances Lab Anim 35: 1–42.<br />
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