On Ethical Issues Of Animal Experiments

Scientific studies based on animal experiments have been givenmuch attention since the mid-nineteenth century. Animal fights activistspropose that it is unreasonable and unscientific to experiment on animals,for animals have lives and share the equal rights with human beings,thereby they should not take the responsibility for human's risks.Anthropocentrists advocate that only human beings are the subject andthe centre of the whole world, and animals are just a means used bymankinds to attain their aims, therefore, it is reasonable, feasible and alsonecessary to conduct experiments on animals for the peace and stabilityof the whole world and the harmony between human beings and nature.Then, what kind of animal experiments are in conformity with theethics? Firstly, we should admit the rational existence of animal welfare,try to satisfy the need of it; and concern the every aspects of animals'life. We should concem animals not only during the process ofexperiments, but also in the preparative stages. Secondly, when we noticehuman beings play the main role in the unitive entirety consisting ofhuman and nature, we should pay more attention to the animals'contribution in strengthening the entire function, so we should do ouroutmost to meet their nonverbal demands. Thirdly, we must admit thatanimal experiments are conducted by human being, and it is hypocritic to talk about these experiments without human beings. Have a think—howcan animals be protected and who can protect them if there are nohumans but only a group of animals on the earth? As a matter of fact, thestudy of animal experiments is for human beings as well as animalsthemselves, for human beings and animals are closely connected.Fourthly, animal experiments should promote 3Rs principles—replacement, reduction and refinement. Doing experiments withoutscientific aims or blindly repeating experiments should be opposed. Weshould try to reduce and refine the quantity of animals in the process ofexperiments. It is much necessary to seek for 3Rs research to realize thescientific ethics to the full in the animal experiments. Fifthly, theestablishment of ethical evaluation system makes the management andnorms of animal experiments meet the criteria of moral behaviours better,promotes the scientific development of animal experimentssimultaneously.