X-WOW Lecture by Dr Paul Finnemore

The use of animals in medical research remains a small but vital part of the process of understanding biology and disease, and developing new medicines and treatments for patients. Veterinary surgeons have the opportunity to play a number of critical roles in ensuring that research is conducted in a responsible and ethical manner, ensuring high standards of science and animal welfare are put side by side. This presentation will summarise the main ethical considerations around the use of animals in research, and will illustrate with examples where veterinary surgeons are able to contribute.

About the speaker

Dr Paul L. Finnemore MRCVS is a laboratory animal veterinarian, currently the Chief Veterinary Officer at AstraZeneca. Previously Paul has worked for the UK Government as an Animals Scientific Procedures Inspector, visiting and assessing UK biomedical research programmes, and on the veterinary team at the University of Oxford, providing veterinary science and medicine support to a diverse range of research projects. Paul’s main interests are the care, accommodation and husbandry of laboratory animals in general and large primates in particular, and the practical implementation and validation of refinements to common procedures. Paul is a Board member of the NC3Rs (National Centre for the Replacement Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research), a member of the Council of Understanding Animal Research (UAR), a member of the Council of the Laboratory Animals Veterinary Association (LAVA), and an ad hoc Consultant to AAALAC (Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care) International.