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Prior to conducting any experimental study using animals, researchers should search the literature and other relevant sources for information on the 3Rs.
Researchers are familiar with the need to search the literature as they plan a research project. Such a search typically surveys the proposed field of study, identifies areas where knowledge is lacking, and ensures that the planned research does not unnecessarily duplicate previous work. Many researchers are less familiar with searching for 3Rs information, and may see this search as an added burden to be tacked on at a later stage. For the 3Rs to be truly effective, however, researchers must consider alternatives during the planning phase of the research proposal, so that appropriate alternative methods may be incorporated into the experimental design from the outset.
Conducting the 3Rs search is not always easy. Alternative methods are not necessarily covered in the mainstream literature, and methods that may well be relevant to one or more of the 3Rs are not always identified as such. In addition, appropriate keywords may not be used. For these reasons, specialized 3Rs-related databases can help (see below).
3Rs-related databases allow a researcher to search in a more focused manner for specific alternative methods: e.g., in vitro methods that may replace the use of animals in a given protocol; appropriate anaesthesia and/or analgesia to help minimize pain and distress; environmental enrichment techniques; models, simulators, computerised mannequins and other alternatives to the use of animals for education and training purposes.
Not all of these databases will be relevant for a given protocol, and no single database will review all of the relevant literature. Although there is no minimum number of databases to consult, a thorough search usually requires more than one.
A good search for 3Rs information should also include one or (preferably) more of the larger, more broadly focused databases as well. Three such databases to consider (all of which are available free to the public) are:
Performing a thorough and appropriate search for alternatives is more than just a matter of meeting certain legal requirements; it is also good practice. Not only can such a search make for more humane science, it also can make for better science.
The 3Rs
In Vitro Methods
Refinement Methods
Alternatives in Education
For guidance on searching and a more comprehensive list of relevant databases see:
Included in the IMPI document are sections covering:
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