Against utilitarianism in animal testing law

Abstract. Despite the growing body of law that regulates the use of non-human animals for scientific purposes (shortly ‘animal testing law’) and the introduction of the principle of 3R’s as central guideline for policies addressing the practice, the ‘standard algorithm’ underlying the legal approac...

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Main Author: Eva Bernet Kempers
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Center for Animal Law and Ethics 2025-02-01
Series:Journal of Animal Law, Ethics and One Health
Online Access:https://leoh.ch/article/view/5966
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author Eva Bernet Kempers
author_facet Eva Bernet Kempers
author_sort Eva Bernet Kempers
collection DOAJ
description Abstract. Despite the growing body of law that regulates the use of non-human animals for scientific purposes (shortly ‘animal testing law’) and the introduction of the principle of 3R’s as central guideline for policies addressing the practice, the ‘standard algorithm’ underlying the legal approach to laboratory animals has remained relatively consistent over the years. In order to determine whether or not experiments involving animals are allowed, decision-makers engage in a balancing practice in which they weigh the human benefits of animal testing against the harm and suffering that is being caused to animals. In this article, I will critique this ‘standard algorithm’ of animal testing law, arguing that it undermines the implementation of the 3R-principles. Exploring non-utilitarian ways of thinking about animals in a laboratory setting based on ‘the animal turn’, the article proposes some recommendations for how to think differently about lab animals, providing a starting point to a multi-dimensional legal approach to the use of animals for scientific purposes. 
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publisher Center for Animal Law and Ethics
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spelling doaj-art-a699ceecc375463ebafc46d6837b25552025-02-06T10:10:41ZdeuCenter for Animal Law and EthicsJournal of Animal Law, Ethics and One Health2813-74342025-02-0110.58590/leoh.2025.003Against utilitarianism in animal testing lawEva Bernet Kempers0University of Antwerp Abstract. Despite the growing body of law that regulates the use of non-human animals for scientific purposes (shortly ‘animal testing law’) and the introduction of the principle of 3R’s as central guideline for policies addressing the practice, the ‘standard algorithm’ underlying the legal approach to laboratory animals has remained relatively consistent over the years. In order to determine whether or not experiments involving animals are allowed, decision-makers engage in a balancing practice in which they weigh the human benefits of animal testing against the harm and suffering that is being caused to animals. In this article, I will critique this ‘standard algorithm’ of animal testing law, arguing that it undermines the implementation of the 3R-principles. Exploring non-utilitarian ways of thinking about animals in a laboratory setting based on ‘the animal turn’, the article proposes some recommendations for how to think differently about lab animals, providing a starting point to a multi-dimensional legal approach to the use of animals for scientific purposes.  https://leoh.ch/article/view/5966
spellingShingle Eva Bernet Kempers
Against utilitarianism in animal testing law
Journal of Animal Law, Ethics and One Health
title Against utilitarianism in animal testing law
title_full Against utilitarianism in animal testing law
title_fullStr Against utilitarianism in animal testing law
title_full_unstemmed Against utilitarianism in animal testing law
title_short Against utilitarianism in animal testing law
title_sort against utilitarianism in animal testing law
url https://leoh.ch/article/view/5966
work_keys_str_mv AT evabernetkempers againstutilitarianisminanimaltestinglaw