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 />
Provided there are substantial benefits associated with animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, why<br />
should the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> require special justificati<strong>on</strong>?<br />
3.9 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> primary reas<strong>on</strong> given for using <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> is to ensure scientific progress in basic<br />
and applied biological and medical science. Few people would deny that science is an<br />
important and powerful way <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> understanding the natural world. Methodical observati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> evidence produced in carefully designed experiments have helped us to understand, for<br />
example, a great number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> physical and chemical principles that govern biological<br />
processes. Many scientists argue 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> is crucial in c<strong>on</strong>tinuing<br />
progress. 4 As several resp<strong>on</strong>dents to the C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> observed:<br />
‘If it is accepted, as it should be, that preventi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> human suffering is a moral<br />
obligati<strong>on</strong>, then the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> is unavoidable.’<br />
Dr Chris Jacks<strong>on</strong><br />
‘Man has the duty to treat sick people as well as save lives <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> people and <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>. In order<br />
to do so, he must improve his knowledge <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> biology, and human and veterinary<br />
medicine. That is why man carries out animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> where there are no other<br />
appropriate investigati<strong>on</strong>al methods.’<br />
ABPI<br />
‘We do not feel it is ethical to subject humans…to these risks [the prol<strong>on</strong>gati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
disease or risk in toxicity testing] when there is a means to reduce them.’<br />
Genetic Interest Group<br />
3.10 On the basis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these views it might appear that animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> requires no further<br />
justificati<strong>on</strong>. But, there are also people who assert that the use for harmful purposes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e<br />
species by another, without c<strong>on</strong>sent, is fundamentally unethical, regardless <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> any possible<br />
benefits, and that all forms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> must therefore be aband<strong>on</strong>ed. 5 Instead, they<br />
argue that more effort should be made to find alternative ways <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> obtaining the required<br />
informati<strong>on</strong>, for example by undertaking <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> human volunteers or <strong>on</strong> human tissue.<br />
Those who disagree assert that there are many significant <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> questi<strong>on</strong>s which can <strong>on</strong>ly<br />
be answered by using <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and that they are <strong>on</strong>ly used when absolutely necessary. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y<br />
also questi<strong>on</strong> whether an aband<strong>on</strong>ment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and the implied c<strong>on</strong>sequences,<br />
would be acceptable to all members <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> society. This situati<strong>on</strong> leads us to two more specific<br />
questi<strong>on</strong>s. First, how important is the alleviati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> human and animal suffering, in view <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
the fact that it may cause pain, suffering and distress to <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> involved in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>?<br />
Sec<strong>on</strong>dly, why should the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> be acceptable in cases in which it would<br />
be unacceptable to use humans? We address these questi<strong>on</strong>s next.<br />
CHAPTER 3 ETHICAL ISSUES RAISED BY ANIMAL RESEARCH<br />
Is there an obligati<strong>on</strong> to alleviate suffering?<br />
3.11 At the most fundamental level we can questi<strong>on</strong> why, in principle, there should be a moral<br />
obligati<strong>on</strong> to undertake <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> to alleviate suffering in either <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> or humans. Based <strong>on</strong><br />
a particular view about the status <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> resp<strong>on</strong>sibilities that arise from things we do as opposed<br />
to things we do not do (i.e. ‘acts versus omissi<strong>on</strong>s’), we could assert that there is no such duty.<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> argument would be that the str<strong>on</strong>gest moral requirements are negative, relating to<br />
things which we should not do (omissi<strong>on</strong>s). Weaker positive moral requirements c<strong>on</strong>cern<br />
obligati<strong>on</strong>s in relati<strong>on</strong> to things which we should do (acts). So, for example, we could argue<br />
that there is a str<strong>on</strong>g obligati<strong>on</strong> not to harm any child, but a far weaker <strong>on</strong>e, possibly even<br />
4 RDS Welcome to RDS Online, available at: http://www.rds-<strong>on</strong>line.org.uk. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 13 Apr 2005; see also Chapter 1,<br />
footnote 5.<br />
5 BUAV BUAV Today, available at: http://www.buav.org/aboutus/index.html. Accessed <strong>on</strong>: 13 Apr 2005.<br />
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