Taking Ethical Considerations Into Account?
lic. iur. Vanessa Gerritsen
Stiftung für das Tier im Recht (TIR)27 March 2013, Messerli Research Institute, Vetmed Vienna
Harm-benefit analysis in Switzerland
• harm-benefit analysis as integral part of Swiss animal experimentation legislation
• severity grade catalogue (available at www.bvet.admin.ch)
• accountability of applicants– prospective evaluation– retrospective evaluation
Harm-benefit analysis in theory and practice
• Art. 19 Abs. 4 TSchG (Animal Welfare Law)
infliction of pain, suffering, damage or anxiety to an animal must not be licensed if there is no evidence of a benefit overbalancing the animal's suffering
Theory and Practice: nodding acquaintances
Harm-benefit analysis in theory and practice
• in practice: mere formality
explanation that the meant project is able to contribute to the development of new therapies
rather 3R boards (with focus on refinement and reduction)
Self-evaluation tool (http://tki.samw.ch/)
Indispensable limit
• the three stages of proportionality
applicabilitynecessityharm-benefit analysis
• doubts about applicability or necessity influence harm-benefit analysis! harm:
severity concretenes
s
benefit: importance concreteness
Closing words
• focus on implementation
vast deficiencies in practice: reduction to formalityuntouchable science stuck in tradition
• examination of implementation
• authorities decisions have to be strenghtened