Ethics Flashcards
What is the main principle of the utilitarian approach?
Harm to animals must be outweighed by the benefits of research
What are the 3R’s?
Replacement: methods that avoid or replace the use of animals in areas where they would have otherwise been used
Reduction: Methods that minimise the number of animals used per experiment (repeated experiments on the same animals, or sharing data with other research groups)
Refinement: Methods that minimise pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm (e.g. using positive reinforcement training to reduce stress)
Partial replacement (e.g. use of zebrafish larvae, tissues from animals killed for another purpose) may be used
What are the PREPARE and ARRIVE guidelines (generally)?
PREPARE - encourage good experimental design
ARRIVE - focus on improving reporting standards in in vivo research
Who/what undertakes the harm-benefit assessment?
AWERB
What are some examples of direct/indirect harms?
Direct - arising from experiments
Indirect - transporting/housing animals
Where are non-procedure related harms recorded?
Not included in the severity assessment of a project, but are required to be included in methods to refine the harms associated with a procedure
If a procedure is repeated, how is harm calculated?
If the animal is not expected to recover between each step of the procedure, it is likely to be considered of higher harm
What are the 5 freedoms?
Freedom from:
- hunger and thirst
- discomfort
- pain, injury or disease
- to express normal behaviour
- fear and distress
When might re-use be permitted?
If the overall severity of the procedures is mild or moderate - must first be examined by a vet.
Requires assessment of the health of the animal, assessment of the cumulative effects of the procedure, the potential interaction of the completed procedure with any subsequent use of the animal, and a prospective assessment that the severity of the further procedure is mild, moderate or non-recovery
