Animal experiments in Switzerland

4. Weighing of benefits against harms as a basic principle

Swiss animal welfare legislation requires the benefits to be weighed against potential harms in every animal experiment. In order to do so, the interests involved and the objectives of all those affected must be established and weighed against each other to determine whether the expected benefit to society is greater than the stress on the animal and the violation of its dignity. The benefit to society may differ widely here (e.g. efficacy of new medicines, toxicity test of a substance, knowledge gain, better housing conditions for animals, etc.). In applied research, the benefit is usually obvious. In basic research, however, it is often difficult to demonstrate a direct benefit. But only if these basics are provided, applied research can ultimately be pursued.