Ethics of Research involving animals
progress in medical research.6 They also contend, for example, that it has not been necessary for medical progress, claiming that clinical observations in humans had actually revealed these discoveries, which were then subsequently ‘validated’ in animals.7 Thus, even if many fundamental discoveries did involve the use of animals, they argue that this practice should not be mistaken for evidence of the necessity of animal experiments.8 Discussion about whether or not these assertions are justified, and what a world without previous and current animal research would be like, is interesting, but not straightforward. It involves a significant number of highly speculative and variable hypotheses. While we address some related issues in Chapter 3 (paragraphs 3.11–3.12), we consider it more fruitful to explore the current potential of Replacements (see Chapter 11) rather than to focus on what could have been achieved without animal research in the past.
Box 2.1: Use of important terms
Throughout this Report, we make occasional reference to specific concepts and groups of people involved in the debate about animal research. We explain below how we use the terms to describe them. They should not be understood as rigidly defined categories, suggesting that people can only be grouped under one of the terms. We merely use them for practical reasons, to highlight particular points of view. - Defenders of research involving animals: There are several organisations that have been set up by researchers or patients expressly to defend the use of animals in medical research on scientific and ethical grounds. Many other scientific and medical organisations publicly support the need to use animals in research (see Box 2.4).
- Opponents of research involving animals: This group includes those who believe that animal research is not scientifically and/or ethically justified and oppose its use.
- Antivivisection groups: Originally, this term was used to describe groups that opposed animal research that involved performing surgical procedures on living animals (vivisection literally means the 'cutting up’ of a living being). It is now often used as a term to describe groups that oppose any experimentation on living animals, on either scientific or ethical grounds, or on both.
- Animal rights: A concept according to which most, if not all, animals are granted rights to live a life free from abuse and exploitation by humans. This would imply that animals must not be harmed for scientific purposes or any other purposes that benefit humans, other animals or the environment (see Box 3.4). This view is sometimes compatible with using animals in other contexts, for example as pets, provided that they are not treated merely as a means to an end. Those who espouse this principle differ in their views on how respect for animal rights should be promoted. Most restrict their actions to discussion in their immediate private environment; others campaign actively, but peacefully; a very small minority think it is justifiable to use unlawful, physical or psychologically violent actions with the aim of achieving an end to animal research or any other use they perceive as cruel.
- Animal welfare: This concept relates to the promotion and systematic study of all aspects of animal wellbeing. For animals involved in research, animal welfare includes the assessment of breeding, transport, housing, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, handling and, where necessary, euthanasia. As a philosophical approach, the promotion of animal welfare is distinct from that of animal rights in the sense that those advocating respect for the welfare of animals do not necessarily wish to use the language of rights. Accordingly, animal-welfare groups emphasise human responsibility towards animals. They consider that some uses of animals may be acceptable (albeit with reluctance) provided they are adequately justified and carried out with full attention to the principle of the Three Rs, and that the behavioural and physiological needs of the animals concerned are addressed (see Box 2.4). Proponents of this approach are not necessarily committed to wishing an end to animal research, but most would see this state as desirable.
- Animal protection groups: An umbrella term for antivivisection, animal-rights and animal-welfare groups that seek to achieve the greatest possible protection of animals from inadequate treatment.
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Footnotes
6 See Europeans for Medical Advancement website at: http://www.curedisease.com/efma.htm. Accessed on: 8 Apr 2005; LaFollette
H and Shanks N (1996) Brute Science: Dilemmas of animal experimentation (Routledge: London).
7 Greek CR and Greek JS (2000) Sacred Cows and Golden Geese (New York: Continuum), p19.
8 Greek CR and Greek JS (2000) Sacred Cows and Golden Geese (New York: Continuum), p16.