Ethics in Biomedical Animal Research: The Key Role of the Investigator

This chapter presents an overview of the ethical principles that are essential for the proper conduct, and the continuing progress, of animal research aimed at understanding human disease. The chapter identifies fundamental principles of animal research ethics, and discusses ethical and empirical foundations of these principles. Guidelines are offered for the application of these principles in the design and implementation of animal research projects. The chapter highlights several important ethical issues regarding which the biomedical research community has expressed lack of clarity or disagreement, and suggests considerations that are relevant for the resolution of these issues. Recommendations are offered for the participation by investigators in ethical discussion of their work, and of biomedical animal research generally. The general themes of the chapter are that investigators play the primary role in assuring the ethical conduct of biomedical animal research, and that a crucial foundation of ethical animal research is sound science.