Janssens Monique R E
Ethisch Bedrijf, 3011 XL Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Sep 12;14(18):2643. doi: 10.3390/ani14182643.
If we want to take sentient non-human animals and their interests seriously, we can try to ask for their consent before using them for human purposes. With mentally competent humans, we speak of informed consent: for them to participate in scientific studies, for example, it is required that they consent explicitly, in full understanding of the risks and benefits. This full understanding cannot be expected from non-human animals. We must therefore look for ways to know what they want and to estimate what they would do if they had a deep understanding of their options and the consequences of these options for themselves and others. This concept is explored by applying it to animal experiments. The most promising method is to gain informed consent by proxy from thoroughly informed competent humans, in combination with seeking assent where possible and being alert to dissent.
如果我们想认真对待有感知能力的非人类动物及其利益，我们可以尝试在将它们用于人类目的之前征求它们的同意。对于心智健全的人类，我们讲的是知情同意：例如，要让他们参与科学研究，就要求他们在充分了解风险和益处的情况下明确表示同意。我们不能期望非人类动物有这种充分的理解。因此，我们必须寻找方法来了解它们想要什么，并估计如果它们深刻理解自己的选择以及这些选择对自己和他人的后果，它们会怎么做。本文通过将这一概念应用于动物实验来进行探讨。最有前景的方法是通过充分知情的有行为能力的人类进行代理知情同意，并尽可能寻求动物的赞同，同时留意它们的反对意见。
