Struggling to Balance the Scales: Empirical Insights from the Ethical Review of Animal Research in Sweden

This is a hybrid event. If you would like to attend in person, the event will be at the Messerli Institute in Vienna and if you would like to attend online you can access it here: https://univienna.zoom.us/j/5750755524?pwd=d1BwVi9tT2c0U1FMZ1BJaDhaZHEwZz09  

Across all EU member states, research involving non-human animals (hereafter: animals) requires prior ethical approval from a competent authority. This authority assesses compliance with the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) and performs a harm–benefit analysis (HBA), weighing proposed harms to animals against anticipated benefits to humans, animals, or the environment. Approval may be granted only if the 3Rs are fulfilled and expected benefits balance out the harms. However, despite being mandated by Directive 2010/63/EU for over a decade, studies suggest that the system of ethical review faces numerous challenges in many member states. To investigate the status of Swedish ethical review, Svea Jörgensen‘s PhD project combines in-depth analysis of written application documents with…