An Analysis of Ethical Concerns Occasioned by the Use of Animals in Exemplary Scientific Research: Diabetes as a Case Study

一位专门研究生物医学伦理学的哲学家和一位领导糖尿病研究实验室的生物学家将研究在科学研究中使用动物的道德问题，这些科学研究：(A)针对普遍的、使人衰弱的疾病；(B)有促进了解和管理该疾病的记录；(C)按照专业公认的人道主义标准运作。许多关于糖尿病的研究都满足这些条件。通过对当前糖尿病文献的调查，研究人员将确定这项研究中动物模型的使用模式，并将其与研究人员目前正在探索的悬而未决的问题联系起来。他们将使用伦理分析技术，试图找出这种使用动物所提出的道德问题，并概述应对这些问题的不同策略--从废除这项研究，到各种替代、减少和改进动物使用的建议，再到加强目前的努力。他们将展示这些战略的影响，并评估哪些行动方针是最有理由的。初步结果将发送给外部专家和顾问征求意见。项目成果将包括演示文稿、论文和专著，并将向广大感兴趣的人士和组织提供。这个项目应该为围绕动物在研究中的使用问题的专业和公众讨论做出及时的、学术上的贡献。调查人员非常合格；机构支持非常好，成本非常合理。这是电动汽车应该鼓励的那种跨学科研究的一个很好的例子。建议提供总额为35939美元的支助。其中一半来自美国国立卫生研究院，将于今年颁发。其余的将在下一财年发放。

A philosopher specializing in biomedical ethics and a biologist who directs a research laboratory in which research on diabetes is undertaken will study moral problems in the use of animals in scientific research which (a) targets widespread, debilitating diseases, (b) has a record of contributing to the understanding and management of the disease, and (c) operates according to professionally accepted humane standards. Much of the research on diabetes mellitus satisfies these conditions. Through a survey of current diabetological literature, the investigators will determine the patterns of usage of animal models in this research, and relate this to the outstanding questions investigators are currently pursuing. Using techniques of ethical analysis, they will attempt to identify the moral issues suggested by this use of animals and outline different strategies for responding to these questions -- from abolition of the research, through various proposals for replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal use, to intensification of current efforts. They will display the implications of these strategies and assess which courses of action are the most defensible. Preliminary results will be sent for comment to outside experts and consultants. Project results will include presentations, papers and a monograph, and will be made available to a wide audience of interested persons and organizations. This project should make a timely, scholarly contribution to the professional and public discussion of issues surrounding uses of animals in research. The investigators are very well-qualified; institutional support is very good and costs, very reasonable. This is a good example of the kind of cross-disciplinary research EVS should encourage. Total support in the amount of $35,939 is recommended. Of that amount, half comes from the National Institutes of Health and is to be awarded this year. The remainder will be awarded next fiscal year.