Animal Research Alternatives and Animal Care : Sample Search Strategies

A thorough search for alternatives requires searching more than one database.

When using databases as evidence of having considered alternatives to potentially painful procedures, the investigator is required to document:

• the names of the databases used to search
• the years covered by the search
• the date the searches were conducted
• the frequency with which searches are being performed
• the keywords/search strategy used

In addition to regular search features, many databases offer accounts for saving searches. This will preserve the elements above for future reference, and may also offer periodic notification of newly published articles through email alert services.

Sample Searches

The sample searches below provide general guidance on constructing searches for:

• Alternatives to Animal Use
• Alternatives to Painful/Distressful Procedures
• Avoiding Unnecessary Duplication

The sample searches need to be customized to your own research topic.  In some cases, the provided keyword strings can be copied and pasted into your search, but they must be combined with keywords that reflect your research topic.

More tips and examples can be found at the AWIC Tips for Searching for Alternatives to Animal Research and Testing

 

Alternatives to Animal Use

The "Alternatives to Animal Use" search is undertaken to explore options for conducting experiments without the use of animals  or for substituting a "lower" order animal species, which may be less sensitive to pain and distress, for a "higher" order animal species. 

 

Example:

(hematopoiesis OR hematopoietic)  AND  in vitro

 

Your use:

Experiment/procedure keywords  

AND 

in vitro/lower-order species name

 

Alternatives to Painful/Distressful Procedures

The "Alternatives to Painful Procedures" search is performed to identify techniques and procedures that would reduce pain and distress.

 

Example:

thoracotom* OR sternotom* OR pleurotom*

AND

refinement OR alternative* OR pain OR painful OR distress OR stress OR relief OR relieve OR stressful OR anesthe* OR anaesthe* OR sedat* OR painkiller*

AND

dog OR dogs OR canine OR canis

 

Your use:

Painful procedure keywords

AND

refinement OR alternative* OR pain OR painful OR distress OR stress OR relief OR relieve OR stressful OR anesthe* OR anaesthe* OR sedat* OR painkiller*

AND

keywords for experimental animal model

 

 Avoiding Unnecessary Duplication

The "Avoiding Unnecessary Duplication" search is done to determine what else has been published in the same field using the same method, to see if the proposed experiment has already been done.

 

Example:

(gfap OR glial fibrillary acidic protein) AND huntington's 

 

Example:

(magnetic resonance imaging OR diffusion tension imaging) AND brain development

 

Example:

NK-1 receptor antagonist AND (cancer OR neoplasm) AND canine

 

Example:

glucoregulatory function AND (obesity OR metabolic syndrome)

 

Your use:

Experimental topic keywords

AND

Intended experimental method(s) keywords