Investigation on the development and ethical review of experimental animals’ welfare

Objective Animal experiment is indispensible for the progress of medicine and medical research. Experimental animals deserve basic respect and care. This paper reviewed the history and status of the experimental animal welfare nationally and internationally to identify the ethical problems existed in animal experiments, and finally discuss the establishing of ethical review system of experimental animals. Methods According to literature review, as well as summarizing the operating practice in the affiliated hospital of Chengdu university of TCM, this study analyzed the problems in the field of experimental animal welfare protection. Results Many countries, such as Britain, Germany and the United States, have legislation on the welfare of experimental animals. There are no such laws in China while departmental regulations has formulated. At present, the weak cognition of bioethics among medical personnel, lack of corresponding certification system, lack of the ethical review system of laboratory animal are still unsolved problems. This paper summarizes the principles of ethical review, the documents of review and the elements of review. Conclusions The protection of experimental animals is a systematic project, and ethical review as the first link of animal experiments can play a good role in promoting animal experiment. Key words: Experimental animal; Welfare; Ethics review