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 />
obstacle to informed debate. However, there is also a view that, in some instances, increased<br />
openness focuses disproporti<strong>on</strong>ately <strong>on</strong> the benefits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>fering a ‘sanitised’<br />
account which ignores the welfare implicati<strong>on</strong>s and possible suffering <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. 41<br />
Equally detailed informati<strong>on</strong> about both scientific benefits and implicati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> for<br />
animal welfare is fundamental to achieving an informed debate. As a general principle, we<br />
c<strong>on</strong>clude that freedom <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> informati<strong>on</strong> is essential to debate for its own sake. It would<br />
therefore be desirable for the public to have, as far as possible and subject to appropriate<br />
levels <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> safety for those involved in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, access to detailed informati<strong>on</strong> about the kinds<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, the number and species <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> used in specific <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> projects, the<br />
full implicati<strong>on</strong>s in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pain, suffering and distress for the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> involved, and the<br />
intended benefits <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the work. This informati<strong>on</strong> should be provided in a clear and accessible<br />
form. We c<strong>on</strong>sider ways in which such informati<strong>on</strong> could be supplied in more detail in<br />
paragraphs paragraphs 15.25–15.52.<br />
Summary<br />
2.31 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> justificati<strong>on</strong> for <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> has been c<strong>on</strong>tested for several hundred years.<br />
Since the mid-19th century, debate in the UK has intensified in parallel with the increased<br />
use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> for this purpose. Growing levels <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> public c<strong>on</strong>cern led to the enactment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />
first legislati<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the subject in 1876. In the 20th century, academic discussi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the ethical<br />
justificati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <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>, and debates bringing together stakeholder<br />
organisati<strong>on</strong>s, have been influential in the shaping <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> further legislati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
2.32 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re is currently a broad spectrum <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> opini<strong>on</strong> about the <str<strong>on</strong>g>ethics</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>ducting <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>. A range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>s is involved in the debate, including those representing the<br />
interests <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> industry and <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>ers, those who wish to improve c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s for <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> or<br />
reduce <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>, and others who want an immediate end to <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Very<br />
few people resort to extreme forms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> protest but their acti<strong>on</strong>s have had a disproporti<strong>on</strong>ate<br />
effect <strong>on</strong> the possibility <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> increasing openness in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> current lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> openness and<br />
limited availability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> balanced informati<strong>on</strong> appears to have c<strong>on</strong>tributed to mistrust. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re<br />
is now increasing recogniti<strong>on</strong> by many stakeholders that this trend needs to be reversed.<br />
CHAPTER 2 THE CONTEXT OF ANIMAL RESEARCH: PAST AND PRESENT<br />
29