Is UK Animal Research Governance Facing A 'New Normal'? Considering the Risks and Benefits of 'Going Online'

Salter, Kathleen

Abstract

Since a return to in-office working after the great disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and associated challenges, many conversations are still being had with regard to what the 'new normal' might look like in professional spaces and networks, and what lessons can be learnt from long periods of remote working. The regulation of animal research practice in the UK is no exception here, and like many other systems has been transformed by the increasingly recognised value of streamlining procedures using virtual online spaces. In early October 2022 the author attended an AWERB-UK meeting in Birmingham (convened by the RSPCA, LAVA, LASA and IAT) which focused on the topic of induction, training, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) members. This comment piece reflects on this meeting and raises some interesting questions surrounding animal research governance in an evolving online era, specifically the associated ethical and welfare dimensions.

Citation

Salter, K. (2023). Is UK Animal Research Governance Facing A 'New Normal'? Considering the Risks and Benefits of 'Going Online'. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals, 51(4), 258-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/02611929231180605

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 16, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jun 21, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-07
• Deposit Date: May 3, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 21, 2023
• Journal: Alternatives to Laboratory Animals
• Print ISSN: 0261-1929
• Electronic ISSN: 2632-3559
• Publisher: Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 258-262
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/02611929231180605
• Keywords: Animal ethics; governance; AWERB; virtual ethics committees; animal research; online
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/20280305
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02611929231180605