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 />
the Three Rs. Since the mid-1980s, knowledge about the c<strong>on</strong>cept has increased am<strong>on</strong>g<br />
scientists, and it has since been accepted in many parts <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the world. While many stakeholders<br />
would argue that each <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs is equally important, there are also organisati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
dedicated specifically to the Replacement approach (see Box 2.4 and Chapter 11).<br />
Box 2.3: Humane <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> trusts<br />
Dr Hadwen Trust<br />
http://www.drhadwentrust.org.uk<br />
Established in 1970, the Dr Hadwen Trust is a medical<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> charity that funds the development <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
alternatives to replace animal experiments in biomedical<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> and testing. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Trust aims to c<strong>on</strong>tribute to the<br />
replacement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> while furthering <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> into<br />
major health problems such as cancer, heart disease,<br />
meningitis and Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers<br />
sp<strong>on</strong>sored by the Trust do not c<strong>on</strong>duct <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> or animal tissues.<br />
Humane Research Trust<br />
http://www.humane<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>.org.uk<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Humane Research Trust is a fund-raising charity<br />
supporting medical <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> into human disease without<br />
the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> or animal tissue. It aims to eliminate<br />
the need for <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in the medical sciences. Established<br />
in the late 1960s the Trust works with scientists, funding<br />
a wide range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> projects at UK hospitals and universities.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Trust also funds lectureships and studentships and<br />
hosts scientific c<strong>on</strong>ferences.<br />
2.16 In the latter half <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the 20th century, the study <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal welfare and animal behaviour<br />
became increasingly established as scientific disciplines. A number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal-welfare<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s, especially the UFAW, the Fund for the Replacement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Animals in Medical<br />
Experiments (FRAME) and the RSPCA (see Box 2.4), c<strong>on</strong>tributed to this development. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y<br />
established working relati<strong>on</strong>ships with organisati<strong>on</strong>s emerging within the scientific<br />
community which had a specific interest in laboratory animal welfare including the<br />
Laboratory Animals Science Associati<strong>on</strong> (LASA), the Institute <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Animal Technology (IAT) and<br />
the Laboratory Animal Veterinary Associati<strong>on</strong> (LAVA; see Box 2.4). All <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these groups<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tributed to the developing legislati<strong>on</strong>. In the European Uni<strong>on</strong> (EU), the establishment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
the European Centre for the Validati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Alternative Methods (ECVAM; see Box 2.4) was a<br />
significant step towards achieving the promoti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Three Rs across Member States.<br />
Box 2.4: Campaigning and stakeholder organisati<strong>on</strong>s focusing <strong>on</strong> scientific and ethical<br />
issues raised by animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Animal-welfare organisati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
Universities Federati<strong>on</strong> for Animal Welfare (UFAW)<br />
http://www.ufaw.org.uk<br />
UFAW is an independent animal-welfare organisati<strong>on</strong> that was founded in 1926 by Major Charles Hume, based <strong>on</strong><br />
his belief that ‘animal problems must be tackled <strong>on</strong> a scientific basis, with a maximum <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sympathy but a minimum<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sentimentality’. UFAW has since played a major role in improving c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s for <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong> focuses<br />
<strong>on</strong> promoting scientific knowledge and expertise to improve the welfare <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pets, zoo <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and laboratory<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>, as well as in agriculture. UFAW funds <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, holds symposia, gives advice to the Government and others,<br />
and produces publicati<strong>on</strong>s <strong>on</strong> animal welfare, including the journal Animal Welfare and the UFAW Handbook <strong>on</strong> the<br />
Care and Management <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Laboratory Animals.<br />
Fund for the Replacement <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME)<br />
http://www.frame.org.uk<br />
FRAME was founded in 1969 to promote the Three Rs and to raise awareness about alternative methods. FRAME also<br />
publishes the peer-reviewed scientific journal ATLA (Alternatives to Laboratory Animals). <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Fund takes the view<br />
that the current scale <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> is unacceptable, while recognising that immediate aboliti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> all animal<br />
experiments is not a feasible opti<strong>on</strong>. Its l<strong>on</strong>g-term aim is to replace the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> laboratory <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> through the<br />
development, validati<strong>on</strong> and acceptance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> alternative methods. In1983, FRAME joined with the British Veterinary<br />
Associati<strong>on</strong> (BVA) and the Committee for the Reform <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Animal Experimentati<strong>on</strong> (CRAE) to advise the Government<br />
<strong>on</strong> what would become the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (A(SP)A). In 1991, the FRAME Alternatives<br />
Laboratory (FAL) was opened at the University <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nottingham Medical School.<br />
20