The Use of Animals in Scientific Research
There is probably no use of animals which arouses more emotion than the use of animals in scientific research. The Foundation believes that because we, the human population, benefit from that research, we have an overwhelming obligation to ensure the animals used in this way are obtained legally, housed and cared for properly, and used in such a way that they are not caused to suffer unnecessarily.
Since its inception, the Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada has initiated and supported a number of projects designed to improve conditions under which laboratory animals are kept and used. Some of these projects include:
- Extensively analyzed
scientific journals which report the use of
animals in research.
- Published the first
extensive report on the "Use of Animals
in Research, Teaching, and Testing in Canada".
- Sponsored a National
Conference on the Use of Animals in Research
which was held in Ottawa, October 8, 1976.
- Prepared a brief
to the National Medical Research Council recommending
the strengthening of the Canadian Council for
Animal Care.
- Funded a report
by Dr. John Gilman, in co-operation with the
Canadian Council for Animal Care and the
Canadaian Federation of Humane Societies, on
the use of animals for product testing in Canada.
- Supported a project
by Dr. Charles H eath, University of Alberta,
to enable Dr. Heath to tour Canada lecturing
to biology and pharmacology students, explaining
his new audio-visual technique of teaching without
the use of animals.
- Supported post-graduate
courses at the University of Saskatchewan by
Dr. S. Federoff on tissue culture as an alternative
technique to the use of animals.
- Recommended to the
Government of Canada that courses in tissue
culture be supported by government agencies
and departments and introduced to all medical
schools.
- Supported work by
Dr. J. Leighton, Women's College Hospital, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. The project was designed
to develop an alternative to the use of live
rabbits in testing cosmetics and other commercial
products.
- Submitted a brief
to the Minister of Health recommending changes
in the proposed guidelines for the use of animals
in research.
- Funded and supported
a survey and report by Dr. David J. Campbell
and Dr. Karen F. J. Copeland on "The Alternative
Use of Animals in Research", with an emphasis
on testing. The report by Drs. Campbell
and Copeland was submitted to the Minister of
Health. Dr. Campbell, before his retirement,
was Director, Bureau of Veterinary Drugs, Department
of Health and Welfare Canada.
- Submitted a brief
to the Minister of Health recommending the abolition
of the LD50 test.
- Recommended to the
Minister of Health that an Advisory Committee
on Research Animals be appointed.
- Submitted a brief
to the National Committee on Ethics and Experimentation.
- Met with the Minister
of Health on April 4, 1987, and presented recommendations
for changes in the funding of experiments involving
the use of animals and for additional protection
for research animals.
- Supported the development
by Saskatoon Instructional Development Research,
and the acquisition by St. Lawrence College,
of the Rescuci Dog to be used in teaching as
an alternative to the use of live dogs.
- Supported the British
Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals and the University of British Columbia,
Joint Committee on Alternatives.
- Bioethics '89:
- In 1989, the
Foundation organized a national conference
to discuss the controversial question of
whether or not the use of animals in scientific
research should be controlled and regulated
by legislation.
- Bioethics '89
was held in Ottawa in July 1989, and was
supported by both scientific groups and
humane societies. In particular the
conference was supported by the Canadian
Council for Animal Care (CCAC), the Canadian
Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS), the
Canadian Association of Laboratory Animal
Science (CALAS) and the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture and Food.
- Experts from
both the United Kingdom and the United States,
together with an imposing panel of Canadians,
gave the delegates an extensive analysis
and critique of legislation in force in
the United Kingdom, the United States and
three Provinces in Canada.
- Although no
formal conclusions were, or could be, reached
by the meeting, nevertheless the delegates
were unanimous that all groups involved
in this controversial, and highly emotional
use of animals were better aware of all
points of view as a result of the conference.
- One positive
result of the conference was that the Canadian
Federation of Humane Societies reached the
conclusion that federal legislation is both
necessary and desirable and announced its
intention to draft such legislation and
recommend it to the Minster of Health for
Canada.
- A report of
proceedings is available
<< Back to Works
& Achievements
|
