Excerpt

This report on the Recognition and Alleviation of Pain in Laboratory Animals was prepared to help scientists, veterinarians, research administrators, institutional animal care and use committees (IACUCs), and animal care staff understand the basis of animal pain, recognize and evaluate its presence and severity, and appreciate means to minimize or abolish pain, according to the charge to the committee that prepared this report: "The … report will update information based on the current scientific literature on recognizing and alleviating pain in laboratory animals. The report will discuss the physiology of pain in commonly used laboratory species. Specific emphasis will be placed on the identification of humane endpoints, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic principles to control pain, and principles to utilize in minimizing pain associated with experimental procedures. As with the first report [on Distress], general guidelines and examples will be given to aid IACUC members, investigators and animal care staff in making decisions about protocols using laboratory animals under current federal regulations and policies."

Contents

• The National Academies
• Committee on Recognition and Alleviation of Pain in Laboratory Animals
• Institute for Laboratory Animal Research Council
• Institute for Laboratory Animal Research Publications
• Acknowledgments
• Glossary
• Summary
  • APPROACH TO THIS STUDY
  • PAIN IN ANIMAL RESEARCH
  • RECOMMENDATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• Introduction
  • ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
  • REFERENCES
• 1. Pain in Research Animals: General Principles and Considerations
  • WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE AND ALLEVIATE ANIMAL PAIN?
  • WHAT IS PAIN?
  • ANIMAL PAIN: DO ALL VERTEBRATES EXPERIENCE PAIN?
  • CAUSES OF PAIN IN RESEARCH ANIMALS
  • IS PAIN IN ANIMALS EVER JUSTIFIABLE?
  • CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• 2. Mechanisms of Pain
  • NOCICEPTION OR PAIN
  • THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSISTENT PAIN
  • ONTOGENY OF PAIN
  • MODULATORY INFLUENCES ON PAIN: ANXIETY, FEAR, AND STRESS
  • CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• 3. Recognition and Assessment of Pain
  • INTRODUCTION
  • PAIN RECOGNITION: CLINICAL SIGNS AND BEHAVIOR
  • PAIN ASSESSMENT METHODS
  • PAIN ASSESSMENT: SPECIES-SPECIFIC CLINICAL SIGNS
  • CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• 4. Effective Pain Management
  • INTRODUCTION
  • CLINICAL VETERINARY PAIN MANAGEMENT
  • STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING PAIN IN LABORATORY ANIMALS
  • METHODS FOR THE PREVENTION OR MANAGEMENT OF PAIN
  • PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT
  • ANALGESIA IN SELECTED NONMAMMALIAN SPECIES
  • LIMITATIONS OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION
  • CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • REFERENCES
• 5. Humane Endpoints for Animals in Pain
  • GUIDELINES AND REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
  • PILOT STUDIES
  • INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES FOR SAFETY ASSESSMENT
  • HUMANE ENDPOINTS IN TOXICOLOGY STUDIES
  • HUMANE ENDPOINTS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH
  • HUMANE ENDPOINTS IN VACCINE SAFETY AND POTENCY TESTING
  • HUMANE ENDPOINTS IN CANCER RESEARCH
  • HUMANE ENDPOINTS IN PAIN RESEARCH
  • EUTHANASIA
  • CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • ADDENDUM
  • REFERENCES
• Appendixes
  • A Models of Pain
  • B US Regulations and Guidelines Regarding Recognition and Alleviation of Pain in Laboratory Animals
  • C About the Authors

This study was supported by the American Veterinary Medical Association; Aventis Pharmaceuticals; the Bosack-Kruger Foundation; Bristol-Myers Squibb; GlaxoSmithKline; Humane Society of the United States; Scientists Center for Animal Welfare; Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals; Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; and Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health through Contract Number N01-OD-4-2139 Task Order #161.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the National Institutes of Health, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US government.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the Committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.