Una referencia valiosa para el uso responsable de los animales en la investigación científica: el documento guía “Principios rectores internacionales para la investigación biomédica con animales CIOMS-ICLAS” / Una referència valuosa per a l'ús responsable dels animalsen la recerca científica: el document guia “Principis rectors internacionals per a la recerca biomèdica amb animals CIOMS-ICLAS / A valuable reference for the responsible use of animals in scientific research: “International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals CIOMS-ICLAS”

El uso de animales en actividades científicas y educativas es un tema de debate en la sociedad, y en la actualidad, estas actividades se evalúan en sus aspectos éticos antes de comenzar. El propósito de este artículo es analizar las International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals desarrollados por el Consejo de Organizaciones Internacionales de Ciencias Médicas y el Consejo Internacional para la Ciencia de los Animales de Laboratorio, sobre los criterios establecidos como necesarios para determinar el uso responsable de los animales, con el objetivo de armonizar normativas. El documento toma la declaración anterior de las Tres Erres (reemplazo, reducción, refinamiento) de Russell y Burch, y agrega nuevos requisitos. Así, la justificación, el valor científico de los estudios, formas de refinamiento como puntos finales humanitarios, el bienestar animal, el análisis daño-beneficio y actitudes como responsabilidad, respeto e integridad científica, surgen como condiciones necesarias, y se tienen en cuenta las preocupaciones éticas de la sociedad. Las instituciones juegan un papel importante en la capacitación y supervisión de los científicos y en el desarrollo de una cultura de cuidado. Este documento proporciona guías claras y constituye una referencia valiosa cuando se carece de normativas oficiales sobre la protección de los animales utilizados en actividades científicas.(AU)

The use of animals in scientific and educational activitiesis a subject of debate in society, and at present, these activities are evaluated in their ethical aspect before starting. The purpose of this article was to analysethe International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animals, developedby the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences and the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science, on the criteria set as necessary to determine the responsible use of animals, aiming to harmonize regulations. The document takes the former Russell and Burch’s statement of the Three Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement), and adds new requirements. Thus, justification, scientific worth of the studies, ways of refinement as humane endpoints, animal welfare, harm-benefit analysis and traits as responsibility, respect and scientific integrity arise as necessary conditions; ethical concerns of society are also considered. Institutions play a major rol in the proficiency and supervision of scientists, and in developing a culture of care. This document provides clear guidelines and constitutes avaluable reference when directives on the protection of animals used in scientific activities are lacking.(AU)

L'ús d'animals en activitats científiques i educatives és un tema de debat en la societat i, en l'actualitat, les implicacions ètiques d’aquestes activitats s'avaluenabans de dur-les a terme. El propòsit d'aquest article és analitzar les International Guiding Principles for Biomedical Research Involving Animalsdesenvolupades pel Consell d'Organitzacions Internacionals de Ciències Mèdiques i el Consell Internacional per a la Ciència dels Animals de Laboratori, sobre els criteris establerts com a necessaris per a determinar l'ús responsable dels animals amb l'objectiu d'harmonitzar normatives. El document pren la declaració anterior de les Tres Erres (reemplaçament, reducció, refinament) de Russell i Burch i agrega nous requisits. Així, la justificació, el valor científic dels estudis, les formes de refinament com a punts finals humanitaris, el benestar animal o l'anàlisi dels danys i beneficis, d’una banda; i actituds com la responsabilitat, el respecte o la integritat científica, d’altra, esdevenen condicions necessàries, atenent a les preocupacions ètiques de la societat. Les institucions juguen un paper important en la capacitació i supervisió dels científics i en el desenvolupament d'una cultura de cura. Aquest document proporciona guies clares i constitueix una referència valuosa, en un context on manca normativa oficial sobre la protecció dels animals utilitzats en activitats científiques.(AU)

The 3Rs and Humane Experimental Technique: Implementing Change.

In 1959, the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) Scholars Russell & Burch published the Principles of Humane Experimental Technique in which they laid out the principles of the Three Rs. However, the Three Rs owed much to others. It was UFAW and, in particular, UFAW's Founder and Director, Major Charles Hume who identified the problem that needed to be tackled, and who developed the non-confrontational approach that was needed to both formulate the questions that needed answers and to obtain the answers from the research community. Russell & Burch's work was also guided by an expert scientific and technical committee chaired by the Nobel Prize winner Sir Peter Medawar. This essay describes the history of the Three Rs using publications by the protagonists and others as well as material from UFAW's archives. It describes the background to the employment of Russell & Burch, the methodology of Russell & Burch's approach and the impact of their work up to the present day-where the Three Rs are incorporated in legislation throughout the world.

Balancing animal welfare and assisted reproduction: ethics of preclinical animal research for testing new reproductive technologies.

In the field of medically assisted reproduction (MAR), there is a growing emphasis on the importance of introducing new assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) only after thorough preclinical safety research, including the use of animal models. At the same time, there is international support for the three R's (replace, reduce, refine), and the European Union even aims at the full replacement of animals for research. The apparent tension between these two trends underlines the urgency of an explicit justification of the use of animals for the development and preclinical testing of new ARTs. Considering that the use of animals remains necessary for specific forms of ART research and taking account of different views on the moral importance of helping people to have a genetically related child, we argue that, in principle, the importance of safety research as part of responsible innovation outweighs the limited infringement of animal wellbeing involved in ART research.