Reflections concerning the legitimacy of animal testing [Réflexions sur la légitimité de l'expérimentation animale]

Animal testing is at the center of a bioethical and legislative debate. In recent years much has changed with respect to the regulation of the use of laboratory animals in medical tests. Recently, in Italy, the Council of State suspended a research project of two Italian universities (Turin and Parma) in which primates were used for experiments. The order is reasoned on the ground that the burden of proof as to the usefulness of the use of animals for laboratory tests is borne by the experimenter. Therefore, the use of animal testing is no longer considered a useful aprioristically. This order of the Council of State further fuels the already considerable medico-legal and bioethical debate on animal testing. The aim of this article is to encourage reflection on this subject.