Animal Research and Alternatives: Measuring Progress 50 Years Later: Workshop at George Washington University in Washington, DC on September 23-24, 2010.

The Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Currently, an estimated 100 million animals are used in research each year. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the development of the key model for protection of animals in research, often referred to as the "3 Rs". These standards, first published in the book The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique by William Russell and Rex Burch, ask researchers to reduce the number of animals used, refine or limit pain and distress to which animals will be exposed, and replace the use of animals with non-animal alternatives when possible or use a species considered less capable of pain and distress. The past five decades have been marked by tremendous progress in scientific understanding of animals' cognitive functions, as well as in technologies that replace animals in research. Difficult questions have been raised about the adequacy of relevant ethical and welfare guidelines, the effectiveness of some animal models in predicting human outcomes, and the availability of non-animal research methods. Accordingly, the Georgetown University Kennedy Institute of Ethics, the Johns Hopkins University Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, the Institute for In Vitro Sciences, The George Washington University, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine will jointly sponsor a two day multi-disciplinary conference to advance the study of the ethical and scientific issues surrounding the use of animals in research. Speakers and participants will examine the adequacy of current protections and the promise and challenges of developing effective alternatives to the use of animals. The conference will bring together a diverse group of established and early-career scientists, researchers, medical professionals, academic and applied ethicists, and students.