The use of animals in research: counting the costs and the benefits

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Rickard
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Animal Ethics ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Ethics Committees ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Economic Gain ◽  
Animal Ethics Committees ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

The Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes requires Animal Ethics Committees to assess the merits of any research proposal involving the use of sentient animals. As part of that assessment they should make a judgment as to whether or not the costs to the welfare of the experimental animals are outweighed by the benefits of the predicted experimental outcome (i.e. conduct a cost–benefit analysis). This paper describes one approach that has been proposed to assist Animal Ethics Committees to take all factors into account when making this judgment. When agricultural animals are used in research the potential benefits are usually measured in terms of improved health and welfare or increased productivity when the research outcomes are applied to other animals reared in agricultural enterprises. When the aim of a project is to improve the health and welfare of the animals (i.e. ‘animal benefit’), the benefits are usually obvious and counting the cost is straightforward even if the impact on the animals under experimentation is quite extreme (e.g. death as an unavoidable endpoint in a vaccination experiment). Where the benefits accrue solely in terms of increased productivity or economic gain (i.e. ‘human benefit’), then balancing the costs and the benefits can be more problematical because people’s personal beliefs and their orientation towards animal welfare influence their assessment. Economists indicate that it is not increased productivity per se that generates value but consumption. Therefore, consumer perceptions of any adverse impact that gains in productivity have on the welfare of farmed animals can play a significant role in determining the ultimate benefit (value) of a particular piece of research with the sole aim to increase production and economic gain. This paper will explore some postulated relationships between productivity and animal welfare which could influence consumer preferences and hence the cost–benefit analysis.

scholarly journals There is more to the 3Rs than Replacement: Reduction and Refinement in animal experimentation

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 34-36
Author(s):  
Siouxsie Wiles
Keyword(s):  
Animal Ethics ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Ethics Committees ◽  
Animal Experimentation ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
National Centre ◽  
Animal Ethics Committees ◽  
Pain And Suffering

According to Wikipedia, the earliest references to animal experimentation appear in Greek writings of the 2nd and 4th Century BC1. Needless to say, we have come a long way in the intervening years. Animal experimentation is now regulated by law in many countries. ‘Animal ethics committees’, typically made up of lay people, scientists and vets, are required to undertake a cost–benefit analysis for proposed projects, weighing up the likely benefit to society against any harm and suffering animals may experience. Furthermore, the ethical framework first described by William Russell and Rex Burch in their seminal 1959 publication2 – the so-called 3Rs: the use of non-animal methods to achieve the same scientific goals (replacement), or where this is not possible, that researchers use methods which cause the minimum pain and suffering (refinement) while also obtaining the best information possible from the fewest number of animals (reduction) – is now also a legal requirement in many countries. Thanks in part to initiatives such as the UK's National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), recent years have seen a massive increase in the number of techniques developed which aim to replace the use of animals in research, teaching and testing, an achievement which should be celebrated.

Limitations to Productivity

1994 ◽  
Vol 1994 ◽  
pp. 61-61
Author(s):  
A.J.F. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Animal Science ◽  
Gross Efficiency ◽  
Physiological Capacity ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Livestock Systems

Productivity in livestock systems is closely correlated with gross efficiency. Improving efficiency by increasing productivity is an honourable pursuit since it minimises waste; not least the waste of animals through disease, infertility or simply the inability to provide food in excess of maintenance. By this (limited) definition the limits to productivity in any system are defined only by the quality of feed available and the genetic and physiological capacity of the animal to convert it into food for man. However, the approach to the limit is asymptotic, i.e. subject to the law of diminishing returns. Until recently most Animal Science has been directed towards marginal improvements in productivity but we now recognise the need to broaden our objectives to include quality of life criteria, such as environmental protection and animal welfare. My remit is to consider how to incorporate a proper concern for animal welfare into the assessment of limits to productivity,or more precisely, the cost/benefit analysis of marginal responses to increased intensity of production.

Animal Welfare Considerations and Ethical Oversight of the Use of Animals in Psychiatric Research

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy L. Pritt ◽  
Shari Birnbaum
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Psychiatric Research ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Animal Use ◽  
The Cost

Ethical issues arise with the use of animals in psychiatric and clinical neuroscience research due to the potential physical or psychological effects imposed on the animals, with the ethical debate focusing on the “cost-benefit” analysis of the animal use where cost is defined as animals experiencing negative events, either physical or emotional. The use of the cost-benefit analysis model combined with considerations for animal welfare that serve both to decrease any potential harm to the animal and increase benefits to human and animal health is a useful model for the ethical review and subsequent institutional approval of animal use. Recent mandates and the ongoing development of animal welfare science in the field of laboratory animal science allow institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs) and other similar oversight committees and regulatory authorities world-wide effectively to construct and monitor research that balances cost with benefits at the institutional level.

scholarly journals Analysing the prospect of the maritime common information sharing environment’s implementation and feasibility in Montenegro

Pomorstvo ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-266
Author(s):  
Andrej Mihailovic ◽  
Nexhat Kapidani ◽  
Enis Kočan ◽  
David Merino Delgado ◽  
Jari Räsänen
Keyword(s):  
Information Sharing ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Common Information ◽  
Maritime Surveillance ◽  
Eu Project ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Operational Aspects

This paper outlines an extensive analysis of the case of Montenegro’s maritime surveillance system becoming integrated within the European Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE). Threats to secure maritime borders across Europe are ever-present and regularly demand coordinated efforts between the member states to tackle and prevent them, e.g. illegal immigration across the Mediterranean. Administration for Maritime Safety and Port Management (AMSPM) in Montenegro is a member of the ANDROMEDA EU project that seeks to facilitate deployments and demonstrations of CISE trials across the European regions, towards their endorsement readiness. AMSPM is now at the forefront of assessing and deploying the CISE components in Montenegro. It thus appropriately evaluates the operational aspects, observes the CISE implementations in some European states, formulates the impact for other national stakeholders, as well as the very prospect of the resulting augmented maritime surveillance in the country. This substantiates the content of this paper as the feasibility of the CISE deployment in Montenegro, supported by a snapshot of the cost-benefit analysis. We aspire to offer novel perspectives and insights that could be a universally useful experience to different CISE implementation initiatives, especially for countries or regions of similar smaller sizes and coastal area.

Hostile Takeovers and Anti-takeover Defenses in the Russian Corporate Market

2007 ◽  
pp. 70-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Demidova
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Hostile Takeovers ◽  
Russian Market ◽  
Takeover Defenses ◽  
The Cost ◽  
European Markets

This article analyzes definitions and the role of hostile takeovers at the Russian and European markets for corporate control. It develops the methodology of assessing the efficiency of anti-takeover defenses adapted to the conditions of the Russian market. The paper uses the cost-benefit analysis, where the costs and benefits of the pre-bid and post-bid defenses are compared.

What's it Worth? Improving Surface Water Quality

1999 ◽  
Vol 40 (10) ◽  
pp. 153-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Newsome ◽  
C. D. Stephen
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
The Cost

Many countries are investing in measures to improve surface water quality, but the investment programmes for so doing are increasingly becoming subject to cost-benefit analysis. Whilst the cost of control measures can usually be determined for individual improvement schemes, there are currently no established procedures for valuing the benefits attributable to improved surface water quality. The paper describes a methodology that has been derived that now makes this possible.

Application of a Tax to E-Commerce Deliveries in Barcelona

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110124
Author(s):  
Genís Majoral ◽  
Francesc Gasparín ◽  
Sergi Saurí
Keyword(s):  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Environmental Tax ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Revenue Collection ◽  
Last Mile ◽  
The Impact

The number of e-commerce transactions is increasing worldwide. Deliveries of goods purchased online generate externalities throughout the whole supply chain and, particularly, the increasing concern about the last-mile distribution of goods. The escalating presence of vans in cities contributes to poor air quality, climate change, noise, and congestion. So far, the majority of solutions to address this issue are based on the supply side, such as electric vans, optimizing the routing and pick-up-points, and so forth. Even in other transport sectors, pricing solutions are well known, yet they have not been extended to e-commerce delivery. This paper aims to propose an environmental tax falling on the demand side and equaling the externalities from this activity. The analysis has been particularized for the case of Barcelona. A cost–benefit analysis to assess the impact of such a tax has been carried out. When revenue collection is reinvested in the logistics sector, and for subsidizing electric distribution vehicles, the results indicate that the levying of the tax can generate positive outcomes.

scholarly journals Economic Analysis of the Use of VCS2000 for Pork Carcass Meat Yield Grading in Korea

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1297
Author(s):  
Juntae Kim ◽  
Hyo-Dong Han ◽  
Wang Yeol Lee ◽  
Collins Wakholi ◽  
Jayoung Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Analysis ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Feed Consumption ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Meat Yield ◽  
The Cost

Currently, the pork industry is incorporating in-line automation with the aim of increasing the slaughtered pork carcass throughput while monitoring quality and safety. In Korea, 21 parameters (such as back-fat thickness and carcass weight) are used for quality grading of pork carcasses. Recently, the VCS2000 system—an automatic meat yield grading machine system—was introduced to enhance grading efficiency and therefore increase pork carcass production. The VCS2000 system is able to predict pork carcass yield based on image analysis. This study also conducted an economic analysis of the system using a cost—benefit analysis. The subsection items of the cost-benefit analysis considered were net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and benefit/cost ratio (BC ratio), and each method was verified through sensitivity analysis. For our analysis, the benefits were grouped into three categories: the benefits of reducing labor costs, the benefits of improving meat yield production, and the benefits of reducing pig feed consumption through optimization. The cost-benefit analysis of the system resulted in an NPV of approximately 615.6 million Korean won, an IRR of 13.52%, and a B/C ratio of 1.65.

scholarly journals Modelling the impact of rapid diagnostic tests on Plasmodium vivax malaria in South Korea: a cost–benefit analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. e004292
Author(s):  
Jung Ho Kim ◽  
Jiyeon Suh ◽  
Woon Ji Lee ◽  
Heun Choi ◽  
Jong-Dae Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Plasmodium Vivax ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Malaria Incidence ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Medical Costs ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundRapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are widely used for diagnosing Plasmodium vivax malaria, especially in resource-limited countries. However, the impact of RDTs on P. vivax malaria incidence and national medical costs has not been evaluated. We assessed the impact of RDT implementation on P. vivax malaria incidence and overall medical expenditures in South Korea and performed a cost–benefit analysis from the payer’s perspective.MethodsWe developed a dynamic compartmental model for P. vivax malaria transmission in South Korea using delay differential equations. Long latency and seasonality were incorporated into the model, which was calibrated to civilian malaria incidences during 2014–2018. We then estimated averted malaria cases and total medical costs from two diagnostic scenarios: microscopy only and both microscopy and RDTs. Medical costs were extracted based on data from a hospital in an at-risk area for P. vivax malaria and were validated using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data. We conducted a cost–benefit analysis of RDTs using the incremental benefit:cost ratio (IBCR) considering only medical costs and performed a probabilistic sensitivity analysis to reflect the uncertainties of model parameters, costs and benefits.ResultsThe results showed that 55.3% of new P. vivax malaria cases were averted, and $696 214 in medical costs was saved over 10 years after RDT introduction. The estimated IBCR was 2.5, indicating that RDT implementation was beneficial, compared with microscopy alone. The IBCR was sensitive to the diagnosis time reduction, infectious period and short latency period, and provided beneficial results in a benefit over $10.6 or RDT cost under $39.7.ConclusionsThe model simulation suggested that RDTs could significantly reduce P. vivax malaria incidence and medical costs. Moreover, cost–benefit analysis demonstrated that the introduction of RDTs was beneficial over microscopy alone. These results support the need for widespread adoption of RDTs.

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