Ethics of Research involving animals
Reduction - continuation II
Refinement
Definition and scope
12.9 The original definition of Refinement by Russell and Burch was ‘any decrease in the incidence or severity of inhumane procedures applied to those animals which still have to be used [in experiments]’. This definition16 has been modified to encompass the positive concept of improving welfare as well as of reducing suffering, and to encompass husbandry and care as well as procedures. Reducing suffering and improving animal welfare are important for the following four reasons:
- First, as discussed in Chapters 3 and 4, it is clear that animals can suffer and that their suffering needs to be taken seriously.
- Secondly, societal concerns about the use of animals, and acceptance of different uses, appears to depend to a considerable degree on the amount of suffering experienced by animals.
- Thirdly, both the physical and psychological welfare of laboratory animals has a significant effect on the experimental results. For example, sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity is significantly increased in mice housed in stressful conditions such as social deprivation. The SNS controls many different body systems including the immune and gastrointestinal systems. Any change in SNS function will therefore have widespread effects on the animals and on their physiological responses that will effect experimental data.17
- Fourthly, the law controlling experiments on animals requires animal suffering to be minimised.
Thus, aside from the moral and legal requirement to reduce and prevent suffering, good animal welfare is consistent with good science and also ensures the effective use of resources, and animals.
Potential for Refinement
12.10 Of all the Three Rs, Refinement to reduce suffering and improve welfare is probably the easiest to achieve in the short term for all types of animal use, as highlighted in the following response to the Consultation:
‘It is attractive, and undoubtedly important, to focus a great deal of effort on the development of Replacement methods. However, it is important that expectations about the scope for replacement with non-animal methods should not be unrealistic and that focus on Replacement should not be at the expense of efforts for Refinement. The potential for improvements through Refinement – making animals’ lives better through better husbandry, better research techniques, and better veterinary methods to alleviate discomfort and stress – should not be underestimated.’ UFAW
12.11 However, in order to achieve maximum effect, it is essential to be aware of the kind of Refinements available and how best to implement them. Since Refinement concerns the reduction of suffering, a crucial prerequisite is to be able to recognise what causes, or is likely to cause, animals to suffer (see Chapter 4). As we have noted, there are many sources of potential suffering throughout the lifetime of each animal which may need to be considered in addition to those resulting from scientific procedures and their effects
(paragraphs 4.49–4.59).
Some specific examples of Refinement
12.12 Further to the discussion in Chapter 4, we now consider examples of four especially important areas in which Refinement can be implemented: housing, husbandry and care, experimental procedures, pain management and humane endpoints.
Footnotes17 Gentle MJ (2001) Attentional shifts alter pain perception in the chicken Anim Welfare 10: S187–94.