Pain in Laboratory Animals: The Ethical and Regulatory Imperatives

Improving quality of science through better animal welfare: the NC3Rs strategy

“…There are ethical and legal obligations on researchers to avoid and alleviate pain in research animals 33 . However, some researchers argue that use of analgesic drugs will interfere with the variables they wish to study, such as cardiovascular function or nerve transmission.…”

Against the Use of Knowledge Gained from Animal Experimentation

“…Indeed, insofar as the goal of much animal experimentation is to "model severe human injuries and illnesses", it is difficult to deny that many animals experience pain and distress in experimentation [20] (p. 1). Moreover, although experimenters are expected to use anesthetics to alleviate animal pain, they are not required to if doing so would interfere with the experiment's results [20] (p. 1).…”

“…Indeed, insofar as the goal of much animal experimentation is to "model severe human injuries and illnesses", it is difficult to deny that many animals experience pain and distress in experimentation [20] (p. 1). Moreover, although experimenters are expected to use anesthetics to alleviate animal pain, they are not required to if doing so would interfere with the experiment's results [20] (p. 1). 8 For instance, in recent studies to test new drugs for arthritis pain, no painkillers were given to a control group of animals (while the other group received relief only if the drugs work) [20] (p. 1).…”

“…Moreover, although experimenters are expected to use anesthetics to alleviate animal pain, they are not required to if doing so would interfere with the experiment's results [20] (p. 1). 8 For instance, in recent studies to test new drugs for arthritis pain, no painkillers were given to a control group of animals (while the other group received relief only if the drugs work) [20] (p. 1). This is characteristic of pain therapy studies generally [21] (p. 222).…”

“…Consider cancer. As Carbone notes, "virtually every human cancer is modeled in animals, and as in people, some cancers (such as oral and bone cancers) appear to be quite painful, even in their early stages" [20] (p. 2). It has been estimated that one carcinogenetic study alone used over 1200 animals [17].…”