To assist in deciding if your Three Rs search is complete, it may be useful to review the following questions:
- Is the proposed experiment or test duplicative?
- Are there any in vitro techniques that could replace use of animals?
- Have any computer simulations been developed that relate to the study?
- Are there any alternative animal models of lower sentience?
- Is there useful and current information about the proposed animal model?
- Has a particular strain of animal been shown to be more sensitive to the effects that will be studied?
- Is there information on the proposed model that might allow the use of fewer animals or might reduce any pain experienced by the animals?
- Could in vitro methods be incorporated into the protocol in any way to reduce the number of animals used (e.g., for early screening)?
- Have any statistical models been developed for use in this type of study, and would these affect the design of the experiment?
- Is there a way to decrease the level of invasiveness of the protocol without compromising the scientific objective?
- Could the proposed anesthetics, analgesics or other drugs pose a confounding influence on the experimental outcome?
- Is there information about assessing welfare and the level of pain of the animals?
