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 />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> capacity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> to experience<br />
pain, distress and suffering<br />
Introducti<strong>on</strong><br />
4.1 We have established that the questi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the nature <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> any pain, suffering or distress that<br />
an animal might experience in scientific procedures is crucial when assessing the ethical<br />
implicati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>. Many resp<strong>on</strong>dents to the C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong> also stressed the<br />
importance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> taking animal welfare into account:<br />
‘<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> acceptability depends <strong>on</strong> the purpose and the amount <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> suffering for the <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>.’<br />
Pr<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>essor Vera Baumans<br />
‘Our ethical c<strong>on</strong>cerns should be geared to the animal’s level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sentience.’<br />
Dr Chris Jacks<strong>on</strong><br />
‘…there is little real effort to even begin to understand animal pain, distress and<br />
suffering, to identify what these terms describe or should describe… and then to address<br />
what we need to do to eliminate such states.’<br />
Animal Research Issues Secti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> Humane Society <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the United States<br />
Determining whether sufficient efforts are being made to understand animal welfare is<br />
bey<strong>on</strong>d the scope <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this Report. However, we note that a number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> organisati<strong>on</strong>s are<br />
already active in the field and have produced a c<strong>on</strong>siderable body <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> knowledge (see Box<br />
2.4). In this chapter we summarise some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the important themes in the current debate<br />
about the capacity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> to experience pain and suffering. We also address difficult<br />
c<strong>on</strong>ceptual and practical issues that arise when assessing the welfare <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
4.2 Comm<strong>on</strong> sense and empathy <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten appear to provide us with clear insight as to whether or<br />
not an animal is in a state <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pain, suffering or distress. For example, even if we have not<br />
previously studied the behaviour <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in a systematic way, it may be easy to assume that<br />
it is in great pain when it tries to escape, or when it makes sounds or facial expressi<strong>on</strong>s that<br />
are similar to those made by humans experiencing extreme pain. But these approaches have<br />
limitati<strong>on</strong>s, and it can be difficult to surmise what an animal is experiencing when observing<br />
more subtle behaviours. We may observe an animal’s reacti<strong>on</strong>s to a stimulus, but are they<br />
indicative <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pain as we understand the c<strong>on</strong>cept when we ascribe it to humans? And is it not<br />
more relevant to assess the welfare <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> laboratory <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> in relati<strong>on</strong> to the physiological and<br />
behavioural needs that are specific to the species, rather than trying to identify welfare states<br />
that are comparable to human pain and suffering? In this chapter, we explore these and other<br />
issues in more detail, seeking to address in particular the following questi<strong>on</strong>s:<br />
■ What is the biological functi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pain, suffering and related states in <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and humans?<br />
■ Philosophically, and practically, can we ever assess with full certainty whether or not an<br />
animal is in a state <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> pain, suffering or distress? What are the scope and limitati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
empathy, and objective scientific methods when assessing animal welfare?<br />
■ Can c<strong>on</strong>cepts such as pain, harm, distress and suffering, which are usually applied to<br />
humans, be applied in a meaningful way to all <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> used for <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>? Are there some<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> for which the identificati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> such states and the assessment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> welfare are more<br />
difficult than for others?<br />
CHAPTER 4 THE CAPACITY OF ANIMALS TO EXPERIENCE PAIN, DISTRESS AND SUFFERING<br />
■ Which other aspects, apart from the experiment itself, need to be c<strong>on</strong>sidered, when<br />
assessing the welfare <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> used in <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>?<br />
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