Promoting and improving three Rs practice: The Korean guidelines

Abstract

Scientists planning research that involves the use of animals are required to examine the possibilities for replacement, reduction, or refinement (the Three Rs), and their protocol must be reviewed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Good scientific practice involving appropriate search techniques on the available Three Rs resources is essential for both ethical and scientific reasons. Appropriate experimental design and statistical analysis techniques are particularly necessary for research involving the use of animals, because this can improve animal welfare and scientific outcomes, as well as saving animal lives. There are a number of resources to help researchers improve their search techniques, experimental design strategies, and their reporting of research involving the use of animals. However, there is little specific information or resources on the Three Rs alternatives that is readily available in the Korean language. This paper outlines the common errors made by submitting researchers that have been repeatedly observed during the ethical review of experimental protocols over the last ten years, and provides information on the Korean resources available to promote good scientific practice. This could help to bridge the gap between Korean scientists and animal welfare advocates assisting scientists to improve ethical considerations and conduct responsible research.