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 />
animal experiments were valid for humans, then these similarities made it unethical to use<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> for experimentati<strong>on</strong>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y felt that all living creatures should be given the same level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
compassi<strong>on</strong> because they believed <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and humans had the same moral status. A number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
people compared the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> to the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> humans by other humans, such as abuses<br />
carried out by Nazis preceding and during the Sec<strong>on</strong>d World War.<br />
Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the resp<strong>on</strong>dents felt that <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> was unethical because <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> their belief<br />
that the c<strong>on</strong>cept was scientifically flawed and actually caused a slowing <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> medical progress. A<br />
different argument was presented by others who felt that humans had a resp<strong>on</strong>sibility or duty <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
care and compassi<strong>on</strong> for other species. Several <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these resp<strong>on</strong>dents drew comparis<strong>on</strong>s between<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> and the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> for food, pets, clothing and sport, which they also thought<br />
unacceptable and unethical. Some people c<strong>on</strong>sidered that those who denied that <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> suffer<br />
should be c<strong>on</strong>sidered as dangerous because their arguments could be used to deny that other<br />
groups <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> humans suffer.<br />
For many people who resp<strong>on</strong>ded to the C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong>, welfare and the preventi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> suffering<br />
were paramount, independent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the questi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> whether the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> possessed ‘higher’ mental<br />
states or cognitive capacities. However, others thought that self-awareness and cognitive ability<br />
were more significant, because suffering could be c<strong>on</strong>nected to being able to recollect events <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
the past and anticipate the future. Some were c<strong>on</strong>cerned that <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>ers did not recognise<br />
symptoms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pain, or that observati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal behaviour was not a reliable means <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> assessing<br />
suffering. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>se resp<strong>on</strong>dents believed that, based <strong>on</strong> their pers<strong>on</strong>al experience, many species<br />
were capable <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> complex thoughts and emoti<strong>on</strong>s. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was c<strong>on</strong>sensus that there should be<br />
increased <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> into welfare, suffering and awareness.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>trary to these viewpoints, many other resp<strong>on</strong>dents c<strong>on</strong>sidered that there was a moral duty to<br />
undertake <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> to alleviate human suffering and to improve quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> life. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y accepted<br />
that if <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> involved <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, then it was ethical to use them for this purpose. In the view <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
many resp<strong>on</strong>dents, the acceptability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> a particular type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> depended <strong>on</strong> the purpose.<br />
For others it was the level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> suffering that c<strong>on</strong>stituted the overriding factor in deciding whether<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> should or should not be carried out. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these commentators also drew<br />
distincti<strong>on</strong>s between the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> different species, noting that most people practise some<br />
‘speciesism’ in their daily lives.<br />
Some people favourably compared animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> used for other purposes or even<br />
those living in the wild. It was felt that ethical c<strong>on</strong>siderati<strong>on</strong>s should be c<strong>on</strong>sistent. One<br />
resp<strong>on</strong>dent believed that it was important not to be too anthropomorphic about what we<br />
c<strong>on</strong>ceive as quality <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> life for other <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Others felt that <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> did not have the capacity to<br />
act rati<strong>on</strong>ally as moral agents and could therefore not have ‘rights’.<br />
What is your view about the UK regulati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> <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> in<br />
the UK?<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> regulati<strong>on</strong>s which govern animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> were clearly important to the majority <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
resp<strong>on</strong>dents. Views <strong>on</strong> the current UK regulati<strong>on</strong>s were divided, with many arguments being<br />
expressed. Views ranged from those who c<strong>on</strong>sidered that regulati<strong>on</strong>s were overly prescriptive to<br />
those who thought that they were insufficiently strict and therefore ineffective. Within this<br />
spectrum were others who believed the regulati<strong>on</strong>s to be appropriate as they stand. It was widely<br />
held that the UK regulati<strong>on</strong>s were stricter than those in other countries.<br />
Some thought that the nature <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the care procedures at individual establishments were more<br />
important than the role <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Home Office Inspectorate. One resp<strong>on</strong>dent wished to point out that<br />
violati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the regulati<strong>on</strong>s have rarely led to prosecuti<strong>on</strong>s for staff in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> establishments.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re was the suggesti<strong>on</strong> that licence applicati<strong>on</strong>s should be assessed by an independent panel, not<br />
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