An analysis of reporting pain and distress recognition and alleviation in scientific journal publications

• Published in: Alternatives to Animal Testing and Experimentation 2010, Vol.15 (1), p.48-48
• Main Authors: Leah M. Gomez, Kathleen M. Conlee
• Format: Article
• Language: Japanese
• ISSN: 1344-0411

「Abstract」Pain and distress in animal research adversely affects animal welfare and scientific quality, as well as erodes public support for research. Journal requirements for inclusion of detailed information on animal welfare in submitted manuscripts, including how animal pain and distress were addressed, would likely increase scientist attention to pain and distress and thus improve science and animal welfare. In order to examine this issue further, we analyzed and compared thirty nine journals for instructions to authors in regards to animal pain and distress. The analysis also sought to determine the extent to which pain and distress information is reported in these journals and whether journal reporting requirements and animal use policies influence this reporting. Two randomly selected articles involving animal use that potentially caused pain and/ or distress were chosen from recent issue(s) of each journal and examined for inclusion of pain and distress information. The data show that instructing authors to report pain and distress information influences authors to include pain and distress information in articles. Having an animal use policy or statement that mentions pain and distress also encourages reporting of pain and distress information.