This issues of animals and ethics and the use of animals in biomedical research are ones that are important for all researchers and personnel who use animals to take some time to think about. It is not the intent of the IACUC to tell you how you should feel about this topic; however, it is important that information be available to the research and animal care community so that each individual can
explore these topics. In 1996, NASA published an influential document titled “NASA Principles for the Ethical Care and Use of Animals”. It was intended to guide careful and considered discussion of the ethical challenges that arise in the course of animal research under NASA’s auspices, but it is helpful to animal use in general. Briefly stated, the document states that a strong allegiance to the principles of bioethics is vital to responsible research practices and that
vertebrate animals warrant moral concern. The use of animals in research involves responsibility – not only for the stewardship of the animals, but to the scientific community and society as well. The three basic principles of the document include:
 All research, teaching or testing using animals conducted by staff or students affiliated with the University of Alberta, or involving University resources/ facilities, must be reviewed and approved by one of the University's Animal Care and Use Committees (ACUC) before the research starts. The use of animals for research, teaching and testing is a privilege, one that comes with important responsibilities:
Canadian standards for experimental animal care and use are defined in the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and compliance is monitored through its assessment program. The University of Alberta maintains a CCAC Certificate of Good Animal Practice, indicating that the institutional animal care and use program meets the national standards set by the CCAC. The use of animals in research, teaching, and testing is acceptable ONLY if it promises to contribute to understanding of fundamental biological principles, or to the development of knowledge that can reasonably be expected to benefit humans or animals. Animals should be used only if the researcher's best efforts to find an alternative have been explored. Continued/ous sharing of knowledge, review of the literature, and adherence to the Russell-Burch "3R" tenet of "Replacement, Reduction and Refinement" are also required (see the Three Rs microsite). Those using animals should employ the most humane methods on the smallest number of appropriate animals required to obtain valid information. In order to work with animals, researchers, students and staff must complete appropriate animal user training at the University or demonstrate that they have obtained equivalent training elsewhere. Using a peer review process and applying the Three Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) tenet, the ACUCs ensure that individual animal research, teaching and testing protocols meet or exceed current standards established by CCAC. Ethics approval is valid for up to one year at a time and must be maintained for the duration of the activities involving animal use through an annual review process. All animal use conducted in University facilities is overseen and supported by veterinarian and animal care staff. When animal research occurs off-campus, for instance wildlife studies or work at other institutions, there is still veterinary oversight and follow-up. Changes to a study that might affect animal welfare must be approved by the ACUC before they are implemented. Additionally, animal use protocols are subject to Post-Approval Monitoring (PAM) to ensure the well-being and humane care and use of all animals and compliance with the national standards. The University Animal Policy and Welfare Committee (UAPWC) oversees and coordinates the work of the individual ACUCs. It proposes University policies and procedures for approval by General Faculties Council and the Board of Governors to ensure institutional standards for animal care and use meet or exceed CCAC guidelines. The Animal Care and Use Committees administered by the University of Alberta through the Research Ethics Office are described in detail here. What are the ethical responsibilities that researchers have to animal participants?Ethical Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Research. Respect for animals' dignity.. Responsibility for considering options (Replace). The principle of proportionality: responsibility for considering and balancing suffering and benefit.. Responsibility for considering reducing the number of animals (Reduce). What are the ethical responsibilities of researchers?Responsibilities for ethical research. Gain informed consent from participants.. Protect the interests of vulnerable groups.. Assure the anonymity of participants, where appropriate.. Assure the confidentiality of information, where appropriate.. Respect the privacy of participants (and avoid undue intrusion). What are the ethical guidelines relating to the use of animals in research?Make reasonable efforts to minimize the discomfort, infection, illness and pain of animal subjects. Use a procedure subjecting animals to pain, stress or privation only when an alternative procedure is unavailable and the goal is justified by its prospective scientific, educational or applied value.
What are the ethical considerations in animal testing?The humane treatment of the test animals should be incorporated into the study protocols and aseptic techniques should be used whenever possible. Only skilled personnel should perform surgical procedures and anesthetization of the animals in the study.
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What are the ethical responsibilities of researchers in the conduct of animal studies?
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