Animal experiments implicate different ethical considerations, and it is important that the experiments are well designed and properly analyzed in order to fully exploit the information gained from the experiments.
In animal experiments the so-called golden rule is the three Rs:
- Replacement - whenever possible, alternative methods should be employed
- Reduction - the number of animal used in the experiment should be reduced as much as possible without compromising the validity of the results
- Refinement - the experiments should be refined in order to reduce the discomfort of the animals as much as possible
Both biological and statistical knowledge are needed in order to meet these criteria. Obvious considerations from a statistical point of view may be in connection to the ‘second R’, that is, to estimate a proper sample size in order not to use animals or resources unnecessarily. This issue is also connected to other aspects in the design phase, since a well designed study may require fewer animals to obtain the same amount of information and improve the quality of the results.