Objective

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To investigate the ethics and existing problems of experimental animals in medical experiments and experimental teaching

and to formulate countermeasures so that animal ethics and animal welfare can be truly reflected in medical experiments.

Methods

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In this study

a "Basic Function Experiment Center Animal Experiment Questionnaire" with 25 questions was formulated from three aspects: the ethical cognition of experimental animals

whether animal experiments are ethical or not

how to view the problems of animal ethics and experimental teaching and the cognition of virtual simulation experiment teaching. Questionnaire was sent to Hubei University of Medicine to investigate the international students of Batch 2017 (5-year program)

undergraduates of Batch 2017 (5-year program) and nursing students of Batch 2018 (4-year program) as well as teachers

researchers and employees of laboratory animal center (all with bachelor degree or above). The survey results were expressed as percentage.

Results

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The recovery rate of the questionnaire in this study was 98.04%(2 451/2 500)

among which the practitioners

teachers and researchers in the laboratory animal center clearly understood the ethics of experimental animals

but there was a widespread phenomenon of lagging ethics among the students. For example

16.24% (398/2 451) students had not received animal experiment ethics education and training

29.46% (722/2 451) were not clear about animal protection laws and regulations

7.14% (175/2 451) thought animal experiments were immoral; 29.54% (724/2 451) had vague cognition of animal welfare and ethical knowledge; 25.91% (635/2 451) were not familiar with the operation steps; 9.38% (230/2 451) were indifferent to the extra treatment of animals due to operation errors

7.83% (192/2 451) chose to give up the experiment in the treatment of animals after massive bleeding

only 5.43% (133/2 451) chose to continue the experiment after timely hemostasis and infusion

and 9.26% (227/2 451) chose to do operations unrelated to the experiment. After the experiment

2.28% (56/2 451) chose to kill the animals by bloodletting

only 5.51% (135/2 451) chose excessive anesthesia euthanasia

and 1.96% (48/2 451) chose to kill the animals by cervical dislocation and violence. Only 15.79% (387/2 451) chose to remember the dead animal for 2 minutes. Only 32.56%(798/2 451) of the respondents understood virtual simulation experiment

34.92% (856/2 451) of the respondents thought that virtual simulation experiment or experimental teaching video could be used to replace the existing live animal experiment

77.56% (1 901/2 451) believed that the construction of virtual simulation laboratory should be strengthened.

Conclusion

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It is imperative to strengthen the education of students' ethics of experimental animals

which is conducive to the establishment of correct ethics of experimental animals for medical students

so that the "3R" principle and animal welfare can be truly implemented in experimental teaching and scientific research experiments.