Editorial: 3Rs approach (replace, reduce and refine animal models) to improve preclinical research

Abstract

Editorial on the Research Topic 3Rs approach (replace, reduce and refine animal models) to improve preclinical research "3Rs" means Replacement, Reduction, Refinement, a conception developed more than 50 years ago to improve welfare of animals used in research. This concept should be widely known by biomedical researchers, being a fundamental principle of investigations involving laboratory animals. It means that when experiments with laboratory animals are necessary, scientists should consider if a possible animal-free model can be used. If not, they should apply proper statistics and methods to Reduce the number of animals without losing the scientific quality of the work and should improve the procedures to Refine the animal model, in order to reduce unnecessary suffering or stress. It is known that pain and stress can affect homeostasis creating suffering in animals and increasing the risk of bias. Also, many relevant questions cannot be addressed only with use of laboratory animals or cell cultures on a Petri dish. A 3Rs approach to preclinical investigations ensures that the results of the research are of high quality, increasing the translational value of the data itself and encourages the development of technologically advanced models. In this Research Topic, all the three aspects of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement were presented by the various authors, providing important tools to researchers working in basic research. The paper of Vitale and Ricceri presents an important overview of the Research Topic, emphasizing the potential issue troubling a correct application of 3Rs, like the so-called "methodological inertia," as well as the great importance of continuing to spread the "3Rs" principles. It presents a brief but complete assessment of the aspects related to each "R," and useful and practical links and tables.

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