Animal welfare in biomedical publishing

Use of animals in dental research: Trends and ethical reflections

This study aimed to survey and analyze the profile of experimental dental research in animals, verifying its trends. We evaluated studies developed with the use of animals in vivo, published in 10 dental journals with high impact factors, from 2015 to 2020. From 1652 studies retrieved, 594 involved in vivo experimentation on animals and were analyzed further. Rats were the species most used and with the highest mean of animals per study. Ferrets, although presenting the lowest rate of publications, had the second highest mean of animals per study. Periodontics was the dental specialty with the highest number of publications, while oral rehabilitation had the lowest number. The data on the institution responsible for reviewing animal research protocols approval, sample size, anesthesia and analgesia were provided in 93.10%, 83%, 70.54% and 23.74% of studies, respectively. In 53% of studies, euthanasia was specified and anesthetic overdose was the method most used. Over the period analyzed, there was a reduction in animal studies in vivo, and periodontics was the specialty that most used this experimental model. Although most studies mentioned approval by an ethics committee, some publications neglected to mention sample size, anesthesia and euthanasia. The omission of essential information may raise scientific and ethical concerns.

Ethical dilemmas in clinical practice: a perspective on the results of an electronic survey of veterinary anaesthetists

Medical progress has greatly advanced our ability to manage animals with critical and terminal diseases. We now have the ability to sustain life even in the most dire of circumstances. However, the preservation of life may not be synonymous with providing 'quality of life', and worse, could cause unnecessary suffering. Using the results of an electronic survey, we aim to outline and give examples of ethical dilemmas faced by veterinary anaesthetists dealing with critically ill animals, how the impact of these dilemmas could be mitigated, and what thought processes underlie decision-making in such situations.