Interdisciplinary Animal Research Ethics-Challenges, Opportunities, and Perspectives

Can nonhuman animals be used for the benefit of humans in a scientifically and morally justified manner and, if yes, how? Based on our own experiences as scholars from various academic backgrounds, we argue that this question can only be answered as an interdisciplinary and international endeavor, c...

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Published in:Animals (Basel) 2024-10, Vol.14 (19), p.2896
Main Authors: Mertz, Marcel, Hetzel, Tatiana, Alex, Karla, Braun, Katharina, Camenzind, Samuel, Dodaro, Rita, Jörgensen, Svea, Linder, Erich, Capas-Peneda, Sara, Reihs, Eva Ingeborg, Tiwari, Vini, Todorović, Zorana, Kahrass, Hannes, Selter, Felicitas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
3Rs
animal ethics
animal ethics committees
Animal experimentation
animal law
Animal welfare
Biomedical research
Collaboration
harm–benefit analysis
Interdisciplinary aspects
Laboratory animals
Laws, regulations and rules
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Research ethics
Veterinary medicine
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Summary:Can nonhuman animals be used for the benefit of humans in a scientifically and morally justified manner and, if yes, how? Based on our own experiences as scholars from various academic backgrounds, we argue that this question can only be answered as an interdisciplinary and international endeavor, considering insights from research ethics and animal ethics as well as scientific and legal aspects. The aim of this article is to contribute to the foundation of the emerging field of animal research ethics. In doing so, we describe the following seven phases of animal research experiments: ethical, legal and social presumptions (phase 0), planning (phase I), review (phase II), conduct of experiments (phase III), publication/dissemination (phase IV), further exploitation of results (phase V), and evaluation (phase VI). In total, 20 key ethical, legal, and practical challenges that an ethical framework for the use of animals in research needs to address are identified and analyzed. Finally, we characterize the following four meta-challenges and opportunities associated with animal research ethics as a field: (1) moral pluralism, (2) the integration of views and positions outside the laboratory, (3) international plurality of conduct, standards, and legal norms, and (4) interdisciplinary education.
ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani14192896