Ethics of Research involving animals
Discussion and recommendations
Introduction
15.1 More can and must be done to improve the quality of the debate about research involving animals. Some of those who oppose such research accuse those in favour of acting without any legitimate ethical motives, and vice versa. We hope that the discussion in Chapter 14 has helped to show that such generalisations are mistaken, and that a highly complex picture emerges when the various positions are taken seriously.
15.2 We observed that the positions are not categorically distinct, but should rather be viewed as positions on a spectrum. Within this spectrum there is a significant area of common ground, shared by all members of the Working Party, despite their differences with regard to other issues. We describe this area of agreement below in the form of a consensus statement. Several practical implications that follow are explained in more detail in the conclusions and recommendations which are based on the recognition that all animal research needs to be justified. We address:
- ways of improving the quality of debate about research involving animals in society(paragraphs15.22–15.52);
- the role of legislation and regulation (paragraphs 15.53–15.56);
- the development and implementation of the Three Rs (paragraphs 15.57–15.62); and
- a range of more specific issues, which include:
- ways of motivating and monitoring approaches to reduction of the use of animals in research (paragraphs 15.64–15.67),
- issues raised by the possibility that research is duplicated (paragraphs 15.65–15.70),
- the use of GM animals (paragraphs 15.71–15.75),
- the scientific validity of animal experimentation (paragraphs 15.76–15.80),
- toxicity testing (paragraphs 15.81–15.83),
- problems in harmonising international test guidelines (paragraphs 15.84–15.87), and
- UK researchers commissioning or undertaking research abroad (paragraphs 15.88-15.91).