RESUMO
Animal use in research is an issue of increasing ethical concern. The objective of this work was to investigate animal use in research described in the papers appearing in 18 journals published in the State of Paraná in 2006. The fields used in the bibliographic sampling were: agrarian science, biological science, biological and health science, environmental science, food technology, and health science. Of the 865 papers analysed, 41% involved the use of animals - a total of 3,497,653 animals, of which 216,223 were vertebrates. Procedures which were classified as A or B for degree of invasiveness were involved in 67% of the papers; 571 fish were employed in procedures classified as E. Only 11% of the journals required certificates from Animal Use Ethics Committees. These results suggest that Brazil is important in the context of worldwide animal use for research, in terms of both the total numbers of animals and the numbers of vertebrates used. Bibliographical sampling is a useful method for estimating the extent of animal use in experiments in Brazil. However, there are limitations to this approach, resulting from the geographical distribution of the authors, the existence of papers presenting insufficient information, and the exclusive inclusion of animal experimentation that actually reaches publication. Thus, the introduction of a formal system to record and control laboratory animal use in Brazil, is urgently required.
Assuntos
Experimentação Animal/estatística & dados numéricos , Bem-Estar do Animal , Animais , Bibliografia Descritiva , BrasilRESUMO
A Comissão de Ética no Uso de Animais do Setor de Ciências Agrárias (CEUA-SCA) da Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) foi criada em 2005. Este artigo teve por objetivo estudar os dois primeiros anos do trabalho dessa Comissão, principalmente quanto à redução do sofrimento animal. Foram avaliadas a composição e a metodologia de trabalho da CEUA-SCA, além da efetividade na redução do sofrimento animal, pela razão emissão de certificados por projetos protocolados (C:P) e pelo estudo dos projetos que receberam ofícios. Foram avaliados 42 protocolos de pesquisa de 2006 e 24 de 2007. Animais vertebrados foram os mais usados, submetidos com maior frequência a procedimentos grau B de invasividade. Os resultados sugerem que a CEUA-SCA, no período estudado, colaborou para o controle do uso de animais nas pesquisas sob a responsabilidade do SCA-UFPR. Destaca-se a necessidade do preenchimento adequado dos formulários pelos proponentes, o aumento da pluralidade na composição da Comissão e a importância de um órgão federal que centralize informações relativas à atuação das CEUAs no Brasil.
The Animal Use Ethic Committee of the Agrarian Sciences Sector (CEUA-SCA) of the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) was created in 2005. The objective of this research was to describe the first two years of CEUA-SCA's work, mainly regarding to the reduction of the animal suffering. The CEUA-SCA's composition and work methodology were studied, as well as the effectiveness to reduce the animal suffering, evaluated by the ratio of certificates emitted and projects registered (C:P) and by the observation of projects that received official letters. Forty two research protocols in 2006 and 24 in 2007 were evaluated. Animals used were mostly vertebrates being submitted more frequently to procedures considered B for invasiveness degree. The results show that the CEUA-SCA, in the studied period, collaborated to the control of the animal use under the responsibility of the SCA-UFPR. Further improvement relates to the need for proper formularies fulfilment by the proposers, the increase of plurality in the Committee composition and the importance of a federal agency centralizing the Brazilian CEUAs information.