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 />
heart disease, depressi<strong>on</strong>, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), malaria and tuberculosis.<br />
Farm <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and pets have also benefited from the development <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new veterinary<br />
medicines and vaccines. 4 Those who support <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> argue that <strong>on</strong> both<br />
ethical and scientific grounds, it is necessary for such <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> to c<strong>on</strong>tinue. 5<br />
1.4 Others also drawing <strong>on</strong> ethical and scientific arguments object to this c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>. 6<br />
Campaigning organisati<strong>on</strong>s, with support from some scientists, questi<strong>on</strong> whether the results<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> experiments undertaken <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> can be reliably applied to humans. 7 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y argue that<br />
animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> is too <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten perceived as the <strong>on</strong>ly means <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> addressing specific <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
questi<strong>on</strong>s, that scientists are reluctant to explore other methodologies and that more effort<br />
should be made in exhausting the potential <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> alternative scientific methods. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y also<br />
questi<strong>on</strong> whether it is right for humans to subject <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> to procedures that cause pain and<br />
suffering, and from which they will not benefit. Accordingly, some commentators take the<br />
view that all animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> should be aband<strong>on</strong>ed immediately. 8<br />
1.5 A range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> further positi<strong>on</strong>s can be found in the debate. Many people may have sympathy<br />
for some assumpti<strong>on</strong>s, but reject others made by those taking the two positi<strong>on</strong>s sketched<br />
above. For example, some accept the basic scientific validity and necessity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, but questi<strong>on</strong> whether enough effort is made to reduce the suffering <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
involved. Others object to specific kinds <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and have c<strong>on</strong>cerns about the species<br />
used, or the aims <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are also those who, in wishing for an end to all<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, acknowledge that a sudden aband<strong>on</strong>ment is not straightforward. For<br />
them, a phasing out <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> all such <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, combined with maximum efforts to reduce any<br />
pain, suffering or distress that <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> might experience, is a highly desirable goal.<br />
Types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> and numbers <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> used<br />
1.6 Research <str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> is varied in both its nature and purpose, in the types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
involved and in the effect that it has <strong>on</strong> them. At its least harmful, it takes the form <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
passive observati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> wild <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in their natural habitats. Scientists also observe animal<br />
behaviour under laboratory c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. Such studies may have a negative impact <strong>on</strong> the<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ welfare if they are kept in an envir<strong>on</strong>ment that is incompatible with their speciesspecific<br />
needs. Certain invasive laboratory techniques may affect the welfare <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in<br />
relatively mild ways. For example, some pharmaceutical <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> requires the repeated<br />
taking <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> blood samples. More harmful <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, such as testing the safety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> novel<br />
medicines (toxicology), may cause substantial pain and suffering. Almost all laboratory<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> are killed <strong>on</strong>ce experiments are complete; in some cases <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> is undertaken <strong>on</strong><br />
anaesthetised <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> that are killed before they recover c<strong>on</strong>sciousness. In the UK, any<br />
‘procedures’ <str<strong>on</strong>g>involving</str<strong>on</strong>g> vertebrates (and the comm<strong>on</strong> octopus) that may cause ‘pain,<br />
4 For 2003, 150,679 procedures in the category Applied studies – veterinary studies were recorded, comprising 5.4% <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />
total number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> procedures and 5.5% <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the total number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Of the total number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> procedures in this category, the<br />
farmed <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> pigs, sheep, cattle, poultry and fish accounted for 79%. Home Office (2004) Statistics <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Scientific Procedures<br />
<strong>on</strong> Living Animals Great Britain 2003 (L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>: HMSO).<br />
5 See, for example, websites for: the Coaliti<strong>on</strong> for Medical Progress, available at: http://www.medicalprogress.org/; <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Associati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Medical Research Charities (AMRC), available at: http://www.amrc.org.uk/; UK Home Office Animals in Scientific<br />
Procedures, available at: http://www.home<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fice.gov.uk/comrace/<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>/index.html; RDS Understanding Animal Research in<br />
Medicine, available at: http://www.rds-<strong>on</strong>line.org.uk. All accessed <strong>on</strong>: 21 Feb 2005.<br />
6 In this Report, the terms ‘<str<strong>on</strong>g>ethics</str<strong>on</strong>g>’ and ‘morals’ are used syn<strong>on</strong>ymously. For further discussi<strong>on</strong> see Crisp R (1998) Ethics, in<br />
Routledge Encyclopedia <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Philosophy, Craig E (Editor) (L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>: Routledge), available at:<br />
http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/L132. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 23 Mar 2005.<br />
7 See British Uni<strong>on</strong> for the Aboliti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Vivisecti<strong>on</strong> (BUAV) Frequently asked questi<strong>on</strong>s about vivisecti<strong>on</strong>, available at:<br />
http://www.buav.org/faqs.html#faq13. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 23 Mar 2005.<br />
8 A very small group <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> those opposed to the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> also protest by damaging property and by using violence against<br />
individual <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>ers, instituti<strong>on</strong>s and business partners, paragraphs 2.22–2.24 and 15.47–15.50.<br />
6