Research: Animals

Abstract

Over the past 100 years, scientific research using animals has expanded greatly in scope and complexity and now occupies a central place as an investigative tool in biomedicine. Animals are used in basic research to generate fundamental knowledge about biological processes; in preclinical research to test the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs, biologics, and medical devices; in toxicologic research to test the safety of industrial and consumer products; in research training and education; and in other areas. Today, at least 100 million animals are used in research each year worldwide, though this might represent a significant underestimate. A review of published statistics indicates that much important information about the nature of animal use in research is unavailable, and this itself is a significant ethical problem. On the basis of available information, however, it is clear that most animal research harms animals to a significant degree, involving suffering, confinement, and death. Philosophical work in animal ethics conducted over the past 40 years has cast significant doubt upon the ethical defensibility of much and perhaps all harmful animal research. Some “equal moral consideration” (EC) views might judge all nontrivially harmful animal research to be indefensible, except perhaps in the most extreme and urgent circumstances. “Unequal moral consideration” (UC) and utilitarian views would permit some harmful animal research, but with significant restrictions and qualifications that go far beyond the status quo. Thus, when one considers animal research in actual practice in regulation, it is clear that significant reform is necessary in order to bring regulation and practice in line with any reasonable moral view about what animals are owed.