Minimizing animal pain and distress is a primary goal of federal regulations and policies requiring consideration of alternatives and alternative methods when proposing an animal research activity. Regulations state that proposals must include;
1. a rational for involving animals, the appropriateness of the species, and the number of animals to be used;
2. a description of procedures or methods designed to assure that discomfort and pain to animals will be limited to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically valuable research, and that analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs will be used where indicated and appropriate to minimize discomfort and pain to animals;
3. a written narrative description of the methods and sources used to consider alternatives to procedures that cause more than momentary or slight pain or distress to the animals; and
4. the written assurance that the activities do not unnecessarily duplicate previous experiments.
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