animal research ethics

• Utilitarian argument


  Suffering of small number of animals is justified because it helps a significant number of people
• Some argue that we have a moral obligation to our own species to advance knowledge + reduce suffering
• Speciesism


  From moral perspective utilitarian argument suggests that research gives human suffering priority over animal suffering
• Could be argued that animals have same rights as humans + we have a moral obligation to protect them
• Rats


  • Used because of speed at which they breed
  • Large samples can be bred in short time frames
  • When investigating a characteristic across generations, researcher does not have to wait long for results to become apparent
• Laboratory experiments


  • Have a degree of internal validity as animals are naïve about what is happening, no demand characteristics
  • Offer a higher degree of control, animals can be caged, can isolate variables for animals in way that more difficult for humans
• Pain + distress is permitted (Skinner box, electric shocks)
• Unnecessary pain must be avoided
• Animal research


  • It is heavily regulated + controlled by legislation ensuring correct housing + treatment
  • Laboratories regularly undergo inspections to check welfare conditions of animals
• Animal research has provided significant insight into vital areas of medical research, drug treatments, transplants, surgical techniques + cloning
• Animal research has contributed to what we know about brain + nervous system
• Conditioning techniques used successfully in therapeutic settings
• Evolutionary perspective


  Humans share common ancestry with other animals, primates, therefore it gives valid info on human processes
• Humans share basic nervous system structures and functions, can be generalised
• Animal research is not credible + lacks ecological validity
• Laboratory animal research behaviour that is different from animals' natural behaviour, e.g. drug addiction studies
• Too many differences between humans + animals, e.g. newly born mouse in terms of development + hormonal influence is equivalent to 7 week old foetus
• Extrapolation reduce validity
• Generalisability guilty of anthropomorphism (animals mistakenly attributed with human qualities)
• Differences in human + animal evolution + genetic make-up
• Animals act differently cognitively + emotionally
• Behaviour + thought processes subject to more variables such as cultural context, social norms + language
• Physiologically our brains differ, humans have larger cortex proportionally to other animals (question generalisability)
• Benefits are not known until after study, possible that their use in study has limited effect
• If animals are so similar to humans why should they not be afforded same ethical considerations
• No amount of regulation can justify animal research
• Protected animal


  Comprise all non-human vertebrates + a single invertebrate species (octopus)
• BPS: no research on animals will be granted unless researcher can justify costs to animals in relation to likely benefits of research
• Cannot do research just because of curiosity
• 3 R's (Russell and Burch 1959)

  • Minimise pain and distress to animal
  • Replacing animals with non-sentient alternatives whenever possible
  • Reducing number of animals used
  • Refining procedures to minimise suffering
• All animal research has to be licensed with each project given a new licence
• Licence


  Will specify; species, number of animals used
• Only granted once it has been decided that benefits outweighs any cost to animal
• Individuals undertaking research required to have a personal licence, only given after training to ensure they are competent to perform procedure
• Required to seek to minimise any pain + suffering or distress that might arise, given requirements of experimental design
• Whatever procedure is in use, any adverse effects on animals must be recognised + assessed, + immediate action taken whenever necessary (responsibility of licenced researcher)
• Replacement (Species & Strain)

  • Where possible, live animals should be replaced with research alternatives (previous studies), like videos and computer simulations. Animals should only be used as a last resort.
• Number of animals


  • Only minimum number of animals needed to produce valid + reliable results should be used. To minimize number, pilot studies, reliable measures of DV, good experimental design and appropriate data analysis should be used.
• Procedures: pain and distress

  • Research causing death, disease, injury, physiological or psychological distress or discomfort should be avoided. Where possible, designs which improve rather than worsen animals' experience should be used. Veterinary advice should be sought. Any distress or harm should be justified by scientific benefit (Batesons' cube)
• Housing


  • Distress should be minimised during caging; social species need companionship + animals unused to other animals may be distressed if caged with them. Clean, sufficient food + water given, space to move freely, artificial environments must emulate aspects of natural environment