Ethical use of animals 'the 3Rs'
- Russell & Burch. Principles of Humane Experimental Technique (1959)
Those who use animals for scientific purposes have a duty of care that demands a genuine commitment to welfare concerns and a respect for the contribution that animals make to research and teaching.
Researchers seeking animal ethics approval must convince an Animal Ethics Committee that viable alternatives to animal use are not available and that the work proposed is justified, weighing the predicted scientific or educational value against the potential effects on animal welfare. The 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) must be considered, defined in the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes as:
- techniques that replace the use of animals must be sought and used where possible (Replacement);
- each project must use no more than the minimum number of animals necessary (Reduction); and
- projects should be designed to avoid pain and distress in animals (Refinement).
At the University of Melbourne these issues are addressed within our animal ethics online application form, available through Themis. Committees are keen to hear when methods to minimise and optimise animal use are employed, and the application is an opportunity for researchers to share their achievements in this area with the AEC.
Find further information on incorporating 3Rs techniques into projects, within our online booklet Ten Top Tips for Animal Ethics Application Success.