|
In the world of animal research, "refinement" refers to methods to reduce possible stress or discomfort to the animals involved. It also encompasses measures to improve animals' overall well-being and environment.
|
|
For
example, new technology allows researchers in some experiments to monitor or
image animals' internal organs without the need for surgery. If surgery is
necessary, anesthesia combined with new and more effective sedatives and
analgesics - pain-relieving drugs - minimizes animal anxiety and discomfort.
One of the
ways the CNPRC supports the refinement effort is through the use of
state-of-the-art noninvasive imaging techniques. The CNPRC has had a long-standing
commitment to using various imaging tools such as ultrasonography, which uses
high-frequency sound waves to image deep structures of the body. Recently, the
CNPRC, through a collaborative effort with UC Davis biomedical engineering
faculty, acquired a microPET (positron emission tomography) scanner. A microPET
is similar to PET scanners used in most human medical facilities, only smaller.
MicroPET imaging allows scientists to study a wide range of physiologic
functions while significantly minimizing manipulation of the animal, and
reduces the numbers of animals required for studies.
Such
efforts follow the philosophy and guidelines outlined in 1959 by Rex Burch and
William Russell, authors of The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique.
Their book remains a guidepost for humane animal research to this day.
Burch and
Russell maintained that giving due consideration to issues of animal welfare is
not just important from an ethical standpoint, but also a matter of good
science. Proper care of research animals is critical to good experimental
design.
Refinement
also applies to developing humane "endpoints" for experiments. An
endpoint is the point at which a test or experiment is considered complete.
Medical technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging and computer-aided
tomography allow scientists to detect tumor growth and organ deterioration
early on and to gather other information from an experiment without requiring
the animal to progress to later stages of disease. This reduces suffering and
can lower the number of animals needed for certain types of tests.
Burch and
Russell believed that humane care and treatment of animals used in research
extends beyond their involvement in experiments. Refinement applies to all
aspects of the life of a laboratory animal. This includes providing housing
appropriate for a particular animal species and applying techniques for
enriching their environment to enhance psychological well-being and promote
natural behavior.
For
example, tree-dwelling monkeys in captivity typically would be housed in a cage
containing multiple perches and allowing vertical movement. To accommodate
monkeys' highly social nature, animal care staff attempt to house monkeys with
a partner or in a group whenever possible.
Creative
measures are taken to try to simulate monkeys' natural foraging behavior.
Animal care staff members have fashioned a number of ingenious devices, such as
foraging boards and puzzle balls, that require the animals to extract their
food from rows of cavities in a plastic board or through holes in a plastic
ball. The activity requires dexterity and concentration and prolongs the time
spent feeding.
The California National Primate Research Center employs a
comprehensive approach to animal care. The CNPRC recognizes that an important
component of animal health is psychological well-being in addition to proper
nutrition, sanitation and veterinary care. Behavioral management is an inherent
part of the Center's Animal Care Program, which focuses on social companionship
and environmental enrichment to enhance the monkeys' quality of life.
|