Animal welfare research requires causing some welfare harm to study and improve welfare, creating ethical obligations that researchers address through the 3Rs framework.
Welfare research involves a genuine ethical paradox: improving welfare for many requires causing welfare compromise to few. The 3Rs framework provides the ethical structure for managing this trade-off responsibly. Replacement prioritises developing alternatives including validated computer models and cell-based systems. Reduction improves statistical design to achieve objectives with fewer animals. Refinement uses anaesthetic, analgesic, and enrichment interventions to minimise harm during necessary research.