Taking Ethical Considerations Into Account? lic. iur. Vanessa Gerritsen Stiftung für das Tier im...

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

Thank you

gerritsen@tierimrecht.orgwww.tierimrecht.org