3R principle as minimum ethics in animal experimentation

Non-human animals are routinely used in research, although studies refute the premise that results generated in this way benefit society. Law 11,794/2008 established ethics committees on the use of animals, with the authority to normatively and ethically evaluate teaching and research protocols. However, gaps in the bioethics training of committee representatives and a lack of incentive to implement substitute techniques, in addition to the more significant concern with compliance with the standard than with animal ethics, end up disregarding non-human animals morally. Despite the advancement of animal welfare practices, the commitment of institutions to support the work of ethics committees on the use of animals is low, as is the commitment of the National Council for the Control of Animal Experimentation in the formation and guidance of these committees so that they can exercise their powers and raise awareness among researchers regarding the ethical principles of animal experimentation.

Animal care committees; Animal experimentation; Animal models; Animal use alternatives