CARE Course - Learning Objectives

Problem 1 - Experiments for honours year

After completion of this problem, you should:

Be aware of the state legislation and the Code of Practice
Be aware of the responsibilities of investigators, as outlined in the Code
Be aware of the existence of the Animal Ethics Committee, its constitution and role
Understand how to complete an application form for the AEC
Understand the concept of the 3R's and how reduction applies to this particular problem

Problem 2 - Conflict about animals in research

Problem 3 - Value of animals in advancing medicine

Learning objectives:

After completion of this problem you should appreciate the role of the use of animals as one of the important components in the advancement of scientific knowledge. You should also be aware of the community's concerns about such use of animals.

Tasks:

You should attend a workshop and prepare a talk (10 minutes) about the issues involved in one of the following questions:

How much could we learn about biological systems if we could only work on non-human animals?
How much could we learn about biological systems if we could only work on one species of animal?
Can we justify the continuing use of animals in the production of biological products and testing their efficacy (e.g. vaccines)?
If drugs which can control the symptoms of disease are available, is it justifiable to produce transgenic animals in an attempt to develop a preventative gene therapy?

Note:
The material contained in this problem will not necessarily provide all of the information you may need for your talk or to provide a ready-made answer to the problem. You are expected to think about the topic, read relevant articles and discuss the issues with your colleagues and your supervisor.

Problem 4 - Research involving animals in their natural habitat

After completing this problem you should appreciate some of the complex issues associated with field work on wild animals. In particular, you should be able to:

Identify and assess the impact of the proposed study on the animals
Consider how these impacts may be minimised

Problem 5 - Research involving animals in the laboratory

After completion of this problem you should be able to:

Identify and assess the impact of the proposed study on the animals
Consider how these impacts may be minimised