VETENSKAPSRÅDETS RAPPORTSERIE 8:2008
The Swedish Research Council, on behalf of the Swedish Government, monitors issues concerning the use of animals in research and also provides information and promotes discourse on research and research ethics. This opinion survey is part of that work.
The opinion survey describes how the public views the use of laboratory animals, both in general and in relation to medical objectives. A sample including just over 1000 individuals representing the national Swedish population aged 16 years and older was surveyed in January 2008. Some of the questions were given only to part of the group.
Vetenskap & Allmänhet (Public and Science) conducted the study on behalf of the Swedish Research Council.
The findings indicate that although most people spontaneously think of medical research when they hear the term “animal experiments”, many respondents also associate it with makeup and hygiene products.
Most – 7 in 10 – Swedes indicate that the use of animals in research is acceptable for medical research aimed at finding cures for diseases. Young people are most negative.
Among the 30% of respondents who find animal experiments to be unacceptable in medical research aimed at finding cures for disease, nearly one third respond that some animal experiments could, nevertheless, be acceptable in certain situations.
Download a PDF of the report on Public Opinion in Sweden on the Use of Animals in Research
