Ethical Issues in the Use of Animal Models for Tissue Engineering: Reflections on Legal Aspects, Moral Theory, Three Rs Strategies, and Harm–Benefit Analysis

Animal experimentation requires a solid and rational moral foundation. Objective and emphatic decision-making and protocol evaluation by researchers and ethics committees remain a difficult and sensitive matter. This article presents three perspectives that facilitate a consideration of the minimall...

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Published inTissue engineering. Part C, Methods Vol. 23; no. 12; pp. 85 - 862
Main Authors Liguori, Gabriel R., Jeronimus, Bertus F., de Aquinas Liguori, Tácia T., Moreira, Luiz Felipe P., Harmsen, Martin C.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Mary Ann Liebert, Inc 01.12.2017
Subjects
Animal models
Animals
Biology
Committees
Decision making
Developed Countries
Ethics
Evaluation
Experimentation
Experiments
Heart surgery
Hospitals
Laboratory animals
Legislation
Liver
Medical equipment
Medical research
Medicine
Metabolism
Models, Animal
Pathology
Public opinion
Regenerative medicine
Research ethics
Researchers
Special Focus Articles
Studies
Tissue engineering
Tissue Engineering - ethics
Tissue Engineering - legislation & jurisprudence
Working groups
Brazil
Netherlands
animal experimentation
morals
tissue engineering
animal use alternatives
regulatory aspects
research ethics
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Summary:Animal experimentation requires a solid and rational moral foundation. Objective and emphatic decision-making and protocol evaluation by researchers and ethics committees remain a difficult and sensitive matter. This article presents three perspectives that facilitate a consideration of the minimally acceptable standard for animal experiments, in particular, in tissue engineering (TE) and regenerative medicine. First, we review the boundaries provided by law and public opinion in America and Europe. Second, we review contemporary moral theory to introduce the Neo-Rawlsian contractarian theory to objectively evaluate the ethics of animal experiments. Third, we introduce the importance of available reduction, replacement, and refinement strategies, which should be accounted for in moral decision-making and protocol evaluation of animal experiments. The three perspectives are integrated into an algorithmic and graphic harm–benefit analysis tool based on the most relevant aspects of animal models in TE. We conclude with a consideration of future avenues to improve animal experiments.
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ISSN:1937-3384
1937-3392
DOI:10.1089/ten.tec.2017.0189