Animal Experimentation

Question 1

Uses of Experimental Animals

Answer 1

Research including improving knowledge, biomedical research, product testing for human safety such as drugs, education and training and production of materials for example antibody production.
Cosmetic testing

Question 2

Arguments for Animal Experimentation

Answer 2

Speciesism is morally right. Benefits to humans outweigh the costs to animals. Alternatives are insufficient because we need the whole animal for continued progress of research.

Question 3

Arguments Against Animal Experimentation

Answer 3

Exaggerated role of animal research in medical progress. Animal experiments are misleading and money would be better spent elsewhere. Immoral example of speciesism.

Question 4

Utilitarianism View

Answer 4

Emphasis on consequences of actions. Says that benefits to humans out weights the cost to the animals.

Question 5

Deontological View

Answer 5

Treats as an ends, not a means to an ends. Should not do anything harmful to the animals despite a good outcome.

Question 6

Welfare Issues in Experimentation

Answer 6

Source of animals-animals are either bred specifically for research, wild caught or stray animals from the pound.

Housing procedures-Must be provided with physical needs, environmental enrichment needed, group housing allows for a more normal response but greater variability, hence more subjects needed. Difficult to standardise in group housing and enriched housing.

Minimum cage requirements-large enough to sit upright and stretch. Are to withdraw and shelf for resting on. Provision of roughage. No wired flooring for guinea pigs, provide toys.

Procedures-May cause pain. Analgesia and anaesthesia can reduce pain. Some painful procedures are minor. Animals should be rewarded for their involvement.

Question 7

Euthanasia Requirements

Answer 7

Non-painful, time of unconsciousness to death short, reliable and non-reversible, minimal psychological stress to animals, safe for operator, death must be confirmed.

Question 8

4Rs

Answer 8

Replacement-in-vitro techniques, non-biological replacements, human studies, epidemiological studies, computer and mathematical models.
Reduction-reduction in number of animals used, pooling resources, appropriate statistics, avoid repetition.
Refinement-reduction of suffering, importance of housing conditions, good welfare, use of anaesthesia and analgesia, humane endpoints.
Respect for the animals.