Abstract

Animal experimental research has played a central role in the development of medicine. Animals have been used in research and experimentation since the medical research beginning. Late in the 17^th century and 18^th century regulations were passed in the UK and other countries againts cruelty to animals. Later on European countries reached an agreement on the regulations and standardization of laboratory animals and experimental studies. Animal Protection Law was issued in our country in 2004 and Animal Experimentation Central Ethics Committee and Animal Experimentation Local Ethics Committees were established. National standards for laboratory animals production and research centers have been determined; training and educational features have been disciplined. All researchers are required to obtain 80 hours training. When planning the experimeental research, the contribution of the study to science must be questioned first. Animals also, are living creatures, they suffer pain and distress, and they have freedom to live. Success or failure in any experimental study depends on the choice of a species, genetic background, microbial status, and environmental factors. Each investigator is obliged to convey the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, refinement) ethical principles, the rules of asepsis and antisepsis and surgical principles. It should be noted that the rules for surgical procedures on human are also valid for experimental studies.