Research Involving Animals

Abstract

The modern view is that animals are sentient beings having intrinsic value regardless of the usefulness they may have for humans. They must be treated well and protected from unnecessary pain, suffering, or harm. Research on animals and with animals as experimental objects is therefore also subject to national legislation that varies somewhat from country to country. The overriding principles for animal experiments are the so-called ‘3Rs’ (replacement, reduction, refinement) which prescribes that animal experiments should be avoided and performed only when there are no alternative methods, and that the methods should be improved to avoid or minimize that the animals are burdened or harmed.