Following the success of the free FELASA webinars, see https://felasa.eu/Announcements/id/4, recordings of the FELASA 2022 congress are now made available regularly. See https://www.felasa2022.eu/programme/ for the congress scientific programme.

Please click and watch the key note by Dr Lynne Sneddon on How effective communication can drive improvements in aquatic animal welfare

ABSTRACT: Concern over the welfare of aquatic animals has grown dramatically in recent years. Prior to 2002 it was thought that fishes could not perceive pain and cultural references as well as dietary choices seem to reflect less care for these aquatic animals. However, the identification of nociceptors in the rainbow trout and subsequent work on responses to painful treatment demonstrated that fish were able to experience discomfort associated with tissue damage. This has led to dramatic changes in the way fishes are considered in public opinion and with respect to their treatment in aquaculture, fisheries and in the laboratory. This presentation will focus on how effective communication with scientists, animal technicians, industries, government and regulatory bodies as well as the media can drive the dissemination of information regarding the science behind fish welfare and can lead to improvements in the treatment of aquatic animals. Recognition of pain in fishes has been made easier by a number of studies focusing on behavioural and physiological indicators to improve pain assessment. Analgesic drugs prevents responses to pain in fishes and these can be used to inform pain management protocols in the laboratory. To overcome barriers to improving the care and welfare of fishes it is important that there is effective communication between animal carers and researchers so that pain management strategies can be adopted. How scientific findings can be used to change public opinion and have a cultural impact will be highlighted and related to current concerns over other aquatic species.

Please click and watch the key note by Dr Hanno Wurbel on More than 3Rs – The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique

ABSTRACT: Animal research is regulated under the premise that any harm imposed on animals must be indispensable. This is also the legal basis of the 3Rs principle (replace, reduce, refine), which serves to minimize harm to animals in research. However, the 3Rs are just one among several ethical principles needed to determine the indispensability of animal research. Ultimately, the decision is taken by ethical deliberation in a harm-benefit analysis (HBA). Yet unless study findings are valid and reproducible, animals are harmed without producing any benefit. Sources of poor reproducibility include poorly validated animal models (poor construct validity), a lack of scientific rigor (poor internal validity), and rigorous standardization (poor external validity). I have therefore proposed the 3Vs principle for assessing the scientific validity of animal research. Moreover, the 3Vs together with the 3Rs and the HBA represent the principle of proportionality by which funders, regulators, and editors can formally assess the indispensability of animal research. Thus, to be deemed indispensable, a study needs to be suitable (determined by the 3Vs), necessary (determined by the 3Rs), and reasonable (determined by an HBA). Finally, as important societal interests determine the legitimate aims of animal research, we should treat results from animal research as common (public) goods. This further implies that animal research must be transparent, collaborative and efficient, the very principles of Open Research. Therefore, responsible animal research also includes preregistration of study protocols, unconditional data sharing, and comprehensive reporting of all results.

Please click and watch the key note by Dr David Smith on Challenging the norm to achieve the 3Rs – the value of data sharing, transparency and openness

ABSTRACT: Progress implementing the Three Rs concept of replacement, reduction and refinement in the pharmaceutical industry has been limited by lack of access to unpublished data. Activities of animal rights groups deterred scientists from engaging openly about their work with laboratory animals. A European pharmaceutical industry working group, together with ECVAM, developed guidance for the administration of substances and removal of blood, including routes and volumes. A handbook of pre-clinical continuous intravenous infusion in rodents and non-rodents assembled data from laboratories in Europe, Japan and USA. Collaboration of European pharmaceutical industry and animal welfare groups has demonstrated the worth of sharing unpublished data from toxicology studies to achieve reduction and refinement. This work focused on the use of the dog as the non-rodent species required for regulatory approval of medicines. The choice of the non-rodent species in pharmaceutical toxicology is a complex decision based on consideration of animal welfare, practicality and scientific rationale. A Points to Consider document was produced in conjunction with the UK Home Office. As Convenor of a FELASA working party, guidance on the continuing education and training of those working with laboratory animals was produced and was incorporated into the Commission’s Education & Training Framework document. More recently, as Convenor of a FELASA/ECLAM/ESLAV working party, the Commission’s Severity Assessment Framework document was expanded and further illustrated using animal models. This formed the basis of European workshops.

Watch sessions of the FELASA 2022 Congress

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