engleski

Alternative methods to animal experimentation

Animal experimentation is justified only when none of the alternative methods to in vivo research can be applied in order to investigate the experimental theory. An alternative method is every method or procedure that results in the replacement of an animal experiment, or the reduction of the number of animals required, or the refinement of procedures so that animal suffering is reduced. This definition corresponds to the “Three Rs” (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) of Russel and Burch. Nowadays alternative methods are being applied in almost every part of biomedical research and in education. The impetus for the development of alternative methods is not only ethical, but also financial, time-dependant and practical. The use of laboratory animals is expensive, and the performance of animal experiments is time-consuming and often difficult to standardize. Alternative methods which can replace the whole animal are usually less complex and the experimental conditions are easier to standardize. However, although the simplicity of an alternative method may be its strength, it can also be its weakness, due to the fact that the response in a simplified system may differ from the response of the organism as a whole. Some of the alternative methods to animal experimentation are: in vitro techniques, immunological techniques, use of lower species, physical-chemical methods, alternative methods in education, mathematical models and computer modelling, human models, telemetry.

in vitro methods, alternative methods, animal experiments

nije evidentirano