The society and the use of laboratory animals

Scientific and ethical views

Abstract

In this presentation we shall deal with the ways in which society obtains insight in the use of animals in experimental work, whether research or control.

The individual elements in this are shown in Table 1. The arrows indicate the flow of material whether on paper, verbal or in other forms without indicating the strength. The upkeep of the standards in animal work is depending upon the correct use of the information collected in the laboratory animal science and the flow of information to the widely distributed users of animals. Society must control this and support progress. The use of experimental animals should be restricted and any use deemed necessary must be carried out with the highest degree of care and respect for the animal’s integrity and without pain.

The wish to get insight must never result in the hampering of progress. On the other hand present days society and present days science are so deeply involved in each other that we experience an ever growing wish from the society to get insight into the ethics and means of the sciences.

The users of animals in research have nothing to hide. On the other hand the judgement of the reason for the experiments and the ways they are carried out requires the understanding of all the relevant data and the intricate knowledge of
the animal science. Therefore the control wanted by society must be left to a control committee of experts headed by a publicly appointed >>lay<< person, e.g. a judge, as in Denmark.