Alternatives to Animal Testing Resources

The following resources were selected to assist researchers, information specialists, and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) members conducting literature searches on alternatives to animal experimentation and ways to minimize research duplication.

• Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing - As part of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, this site includes publications, programs and educational workshops, and an an online forum for discussing alternatives and issues related to their development and use.

• Altweb: Alternatives to Animal Testing on the Web - Created by the JHU Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, this site serves as a global clearinghouse for news, information, and resources on the Internet and beyond.

• Alternatives and Searches - From the Animal Welfare Information Center (USDA). This site includes sample literature searches, guidelines, and databases and organizations dedicated to animal welfare.

Other Internet resources to consider:

• Information on Alternatives Databases

• The Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods

• Links from the Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare, NIH

• NIEHS Factsheet on Alternatives

• Office for Laboratory Animal Welfare, NIH

• University of California Center for Animal Alternatives

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The Three R's

The alternatives to animal testing concept incorporates the 3 R's introduced by W. M. S. Russell and R. L. Burch (1958) in their book The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique, London. The 3 R's represent: reduction of the number of animals used, refinement of techniques and procedures to reduce pain and distress, and replacement of animan with non-animal techniques. For more information on the Three R' s (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement):

• To 3R is Humane--The Environmental Forum
• The Three R's: The Way Forward--Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• The Three R's and Biomedical Research--Science
• The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique - an updated special edition of the 1958 book regarding the 3 R's in memorial to Charles Hume and tribute to Bill Russell and Rex Burch.

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Databases

Many investigators routinely do searches in PubMed, but may not be aware of other databases that can be useful in determining if animal testing alternatives are available. The use of multiple databases to conduct a thorough literature search can be a great way to include all pertinent information on a topic. Some to consider include:

• AGRICOLA - Covers every major agricultural subject, including agricultural engineering and marketing, animal breeding, entomology, environmental pollution, farm management, foods and feeds, pesticides, rural sociology, veterinary medicine, and water resources. You may want to use the AGRICOLA Thesaurus for Animal Use Alternatives to find vocabulary for searching alternatives.

• ALTBIB - The intent of the bibliography is to assist in identifying methods and procedures helpful in supporting the development, testing, application, and validation of alternatives to the use of vertebrates in biomedical research and toxicology testing.

• Biological Abstracts - Provides the most comprehensive coverage of worldwide journal literature in the life sciences including biochemistry, biophysics, experimental medicine, veterinary science, virology, and other topics.

• EMBASE - A large biomedical and pharmaceutical database with extensive international coverage of drug research, pharmacology, toxicology, environmental health, clinical and experimental human medicine, and other topics.

• National Agricultural Library Alternatives Thesaurus - a listing of over 200 terms in a controlled vocabulary to incorporate new alternatives terminology.

• PsycINFO - Accesses worldwide literature in psychology and related disciplines. Includes research on experimental human and animal psychology, physiological psychology, and behavioral research.

For a listing of animal-related electronic resources provided by the Welch Library, please consult the Welch eResources for Comparative Medicine.

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Keyword Selection

Examples of Subject Headings and Keywords to use in searches for alternatives to animal testing:

alternative(s)	computer aided instruction	mannequin(s)	reduction, reducing
analgesics	computer assisted instruction	models, anatomical	refine, refinement
anesthetics	computer simulation	models, animal	replace, replacement
animal husbandry	disease models, animal	models, biological	simulation
animal testing alternatives	distress	models, cardiovascular	simulator(s)
animal use alternatives	environmental enrichment	models, genetic	software
animal welfare	housing	models, neurological	stress
artificial	housing, animal	models, statistical	stress, psychological
artificial intelligence	"hypnotics and sedatives"	organ culture	tissue culture
caging	in vitro	pain	vitro
cells, cultured	manikins	pain, postoperative	virtual (surgery, reality)

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Questions to Consider

• Is it feasible to use in vitro techniques?

• Can the analgesic be improved to control pain?

• Are there computer simulations available which can be used to replace animals?

• Is there literature on experimental design or statistical models, which can lead to a reduction in the number of animals needed?

• Are there environmental enrichment methods that m ay lessen animal stress?

• Can cultured cells or tisssue culture be utilized?

• If the use of animals is necessary, is it possible to use a lower species?

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Last updated: January 30, 2007, Carrie Iwema