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 />
15.60 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> ERP has the potential to make a greater c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong> to the identificati<strong>on</strong>, promoti<strong>on</strong><br />
and implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs and could play a more proactive role in identifying<br />
best practice and helping to facilitate exchange <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> informati<strong>on</strong>. When the ERP was<br />
established in 1999, <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> its main objectives was to promote the applicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three<br />
Rs (see paragraph 13.23). However, in practice, many ERPs focus <strong>on</strong> the review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> licence<br />
applicati<strong>on</strong>s, and although this includes c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs in relati<strong>on</strong> to the<br />
specific project, there is potential for a more general c<strong>on</strong>tributi<strong>on</strong>. For example, some ERPs<br />
have dedicated Three Rs groups that review husbandry and procedural issues. We<br />
acknowledge that some organisati<strong>on</strong>s, particularly the LASA and the RSPCA, have<br />
organised meetings for ERP members in the past to assist this process. We support this<br />
approach and recommend that these two organisati<strong>on</strong>s, together with other stakeholders<br />
where appropriate, identify a systematic and sustainable strategy to ensure that the ERP<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tributes most effectively to developing best practice in the Three Rs.<br />
Examinati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new technologies for Three R potential: Chair <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs<br />
15.61 We have described the complex interplay leading to the development <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Replacements in<br />
Chapter 11. Strategic examinati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new scientific technologies for Replacement<br />
potential, their adaptati<strong>on</strong> for general use and transfer <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the technology could help to<br />
ensure further progress. Scientists working in basic <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> who develop new methods for<br />
specific <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> questi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten do not have the Refinement, Reducti<strong>on</strong> or Replacement<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal experiments as their main objective and tend not to adapt or promote new<br />
methods for this purpose. Much more ‘horiz<strong>on</strong> scanning’ is needed. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Working Party has<br />
therefore c<strong>on</strong>sidered whether it would be useful to institute at least <strong>on</strong>e Chair <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three<br />
Rs, to undertake <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> new technologies for Refinement, Reducti<strong>on</strong> and<br />
Replacement potential and to encourage students to carry out <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> with an emphasis<br />
<strong>on</strong> alternative methods. Several issues would need to be assessed in more detail before such<br />
a proposal could be developed further. First, the relati<strong>on</strong>ship <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Chair to existing<br />
initiatives and organisati<strong>on</strong>s that seek to promote the Three Rs would need to be clarified,<br />
to avoid duplicati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> effort, and to ensure that funds to promote the Three Rs are spent<br />
most effectively. Sec<strong>on</strong>dly, the exact pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ile <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Chair would need to be carefully<br />
defined, to assess whether it would be more appropriate to focus the review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the wide<br />
range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new technologies in different areas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs <strong>on</strong>ly, for<br />
example <strong>on</strong> Replacement. We have therefore not been able to agree <strong>on</strong> whether or not a<br />
Chair would advance and c<strong>on</strong>tribute to increased implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs.<br />
However, we c<strong>on</strong>sider that it would be <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> value if the MRC, the Wellcome Trust and other<br />
major funders <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, in c<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> with the NC3Rs, review and explore further the<br />
proposal <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> establishing and funding such a Chair.<br />
Thorough analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> scientific barriers to Replacements<br />
15.62 We have c<strong>on</strong>sidered in Chapter 11 a range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> different barriers to Replacements, including<br />
regulatory, organisati<strong>on</strong>al and resource c<strong>on</strong>straints (paragraphs 11.19–11.30). <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>se<br />
difficulties are sometimes cited to dismiss further c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Replacement as<br />
unfeasible, regardless <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the exact objectives <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a particular <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> project. We also<br />
observed that some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> those opposed to <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> claim that a far wider<br />
range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> than is comm<strong>on</strong>ly assumed could be replaced by alternative n<strong>on</strong>-animal<br />
methods, if there was sufficient will to do so (paragraph 11.3). In order to make further<br />
progress in the development and the implementati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Replacements, and in order to<br />
address the range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> associated expectati<strong>on</strong>s it would be desirable to undertake a thorough<br />
analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the scientific barriers to Replacement and how they might be overcome. This task<br />
cannot be addressed in general terms, but requires an in-depth analysis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> specific projects<br />
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