3-Ethical issues, harm-benefit assessment and humane endpoints

Each research project has its own set of ethical challenges, but the following general questions should be raised for all projects:

1. Have national or local research ethics committees already produced statements relevant to the research being planned?
2. Have the Three Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) been addressed, and will any advances in this area be mentioned in publications of the study (remembering that many databases only index the title and abstract of papers)? Which non-animal alternatives have been considered but rejected?
3. Have the Three S's (Good Science, Good Sense and Good Sensibilities) been addressed?
4. Does the proposed study have a clear rationale and scientific relevance, and what will be the next step if the hypothesis is supported or rejected?
5. Have the experiments been carried out before, and is any repetition justifiable?
6. What approaches to reduce distress have been considered?

‘Choosing the right animal for the right reason’ (Harry Rowsell).
The large increase in use of genetically altered lines has created increasing concern about the suitability of these animals as models of human conditions. This, and the high level of attrition in animal research, is discussed in a paper by Joseph Garner (2014): The Significance of Meaning: Why Do Over 90% of Behavioral Neuroscience Results Fail to Translate to Humans, and What Can We Do to Fix It?

Ethics are also discussed in a separate section of this website. 

More information about alternatives to the use of fish in research can be found in another section of the Norecopa website.

Further resources:

• Zebrafish (Danio rerio) meets bioethics: the 10Rs ethical principles in research (Canedo et al., 2022)
• Katsiadaki et al (2021) Dying for change: A roadmap to refine the fish acute toxicity test after 40 years of applying a lethal endpoint. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 223: 112585.
• Focus on Fish - Practical refinements for fishes in research and testing, RSPCA online event, 23 February 2021
• Refining the life experience of a research zebrafish, by Claire Allen, free FELASA webinar
• Sloman et al (2019) Ethical considerations in fish research. Journal of Fish Biology, 94(4): 556-577.
• Félix et al (2019) Review on the use of zebrafish embryos to study the effects of anesthetics during early development. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 49(4): 357-370.
• Deakin et al (2019) Automated monitoring of behaviour in zebrafish after invasive procedures. Scientific Reports, 9(9042).
• Message R & Greenhough B (2019): But It's Just a Fish: Understanding the Challenges of Applying the 3Rs in Laboratory Aquariums in the UK
• Schnell et al (2016) Procedures for the reconstruction, primary culture and experimental use of rainbow trout gill epithelia. Nature Protocols, 11: 490-498.
• Schaeck et al (2013) Fish as research tools: alternatives to in vivo experiments. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, 41(3): 219-229.
• Segner (2015) In Vitro Methodologies in Ecotoxicological Hazard Assessment: The Case of Bioaccumulation Testing for Fish. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, 43(2): 14-16.
• Stott et al (2015) A primary fish gill cell culture model to assess pharmaceutical uptake and efflux: Evidence for passive and facilitated transport. Aquatic Toxicology, 159: 127-137.
• Romstad et al (2014) Comparison of a serological potency assay for furunculosis vaccines (Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida) to intraperitoneal challenge in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Biologicals, 42(2):86-90.
• The potential to increase use of the 3Rs in the development and validation of fish vaccines. Ellingsen & Gudding (2011). Report from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute.
• Midtlyng et al (2011) Three Rs approaches in the production and quality control of fish vaccines. Biologicals, 39(2): 117-128.
• de Wolf et al (2007) Animal use replacement, reduction, and refinement: Development of an integrated testing strategy for bioconcentration of chemicals in fish. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 3(1): 3-17.
• Jeram et al (2005) A strategy to reduce the use of fish in acute ecotoxicity testing of new chemical substances notified in the European Union. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 42(2): 218-224.

This page was updated on 22 February 2022