Ethics of Research involving animals
The use of animals in basic biological research
Introduction
5.1 In this chapter, we are primarily concerned with the use of animals for basic, ‘blue-sky’ or curiosity-driven research (see Paragraphs 3.53–3.54). This kind of research aims to help us understand how animals develop and function at the behavioural, physiological, cellular and molecular levels. Knowledge produced in basic research has also contributed to medical advances. Several different types of animals are used, including invertebrates such as fruit flies and nematode worms, non-mammalian vertebrates (frogs, fish and chickens) and mammalian vertebrates such as mice, rats, rabbits, cats, dogs and primates. Almost all of the animals used are specially bred for this purpose, and approximately 80 percent of animal experiments carried out on vertebrates in the UK in 2003 involved mice or rats.1
5.2 A wide range of different experiments are performed in basic research, and we can only give selected examples here. For the sake of simplicity, we divide our discussion into the use of animals for the following purposes, which cover most types of research in this area: behavioural studies; physiological studies; studies on development; genetic studies; and the development of research tools and techniques, for example, antibody production, biopharmaceuticals and
cloning.
| Comments on the use of animals in basic research from respondents to the Consultation ‘…major developments in medicine and surgery have often been based on fundamental understanding of biological premises. These have required ‘blue-skies’ research, which, by definition, has no immediate or obvious application.’ Biosciences Federation ‘…the genetic mechanisms of many species (nematode worms, fruit flies, fish or mice) work in precisely the same manner as in humans, and in the mouse there are counterparts for most human genes.’ Sarah Johnson, member of the Ethical Review Panel at the MRC NIMR ‘The number of GM animals we use is rising fast. This process is best described as commodification. The moral problem is that animals are not computers or areas of land or other "resources".’ Shaun Carey ‘The production of GM animals is not a perfect science and there are often many animals produced to develop the specific modifications that are required to meet research objectives. This results in a large number of mice required to be bred and many to be culled that do not have the specific genetic manipulation.’ Canadians for Health Research |
Footnotes
1 Home Office (2004) Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2003 (London: HMSO).