The challenges in establishing HEP in laboratory swine

The challenges in establishing HEP in laboratory swine Barone F1, Ventrella D1, Elmi A1, Bacci ML1 1 Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum UNIBO In 1998 from the International Conference on Humane Endpoints (HEP) in animal experiments for biomedical research emerged that HEPs are part of a dynamic process, influenced by scientific developments as well as by animal welfare concerns as they evolve with time. Nowadays there are several publications regarding criteria, definition and evaluation of HEPs, but mainly related to the most common laboratory animals such as mouse and rats (Aldred et al., 2002; Vlach et al., 2000). In the last years the role of swine as laboratory animal is increasing due to its translational value (Monticello and Haschek, 2016) and relatively lighter ethical implications when compared to the other large animal models. The need for a specific approach for each protocol, and the limited records available (Harvey-Clark et al., 2000; Malavasi et al., 2006), are probably two of the main reasons behind the lack of dedicated HEP guidelines for the laboratory swine. Despite the above-mentioned issues, the Directive 2010/63/EU requires specific HEPs for each submitted protocol, thus the need for more in-depth knowledge regarding pain assessment. A humane endpoint can be considered as a possible refinement alternative for those experiments that involve pain and discomfort to the animals leading to higher quality research without compromising welfare itself. The task of Veterinary Medicine is to find new biomarkers and behavioral patterns in order to provide researchers with accurate tools that allow for a better understanding of objective swine welfare in each experimental condition. Our aim, as veterinary physiologists, is to establish reliable guidelines for an early detection of para-physiological and pathological stress and pain patterns in the laboratory swine. In this abstract we will present our experience collected within the last 30 years regarding different experimental protocols with the swine as laboratory animal for xenotransplantation, endotoxic shock, gastrointestinal inflammation, inherited genetic disease, CNS and ocular disease. Aldred, A.J., Cha, M.C., Meckling-Gill, K.A., 2002. Determination of a humane endpoint in the L1210 model of murine leukemia. Contemp. Top. Lab. Anim. Sci. Am. Assoc. Lab. Anim. Sci. 41, 24–27. Harvey-Clark, C.J., Gilespie, K., Riggs, K.W., 2000. Transdermal fentanyl compared with parenteral buprenorphine in post-surgical pain in swine: a case study. Lab. Anim. 34, 386–398. Malavasi, L.M., Nyman, G., Augustsson, H., Jacobson, M., Jensen-Waern, M., 2006. Effects of epidural morphine and transdermal fentanyl analgesia on physiology and behaviour after abdominal surgery in pigs. Lab. Anim. 40, 16–27. doi:10.1258/002367706775404453 Monticello, T.M., Haschek, W.M., 2016. Swine in Translational Research and Drug Development. Toxicol. Pathol. 44, 297–298. doi:10.1177/0192623316630838 Vlach, K.D., Boles, J.W., Stiles, B.G., 2000. Telemetric evaluation of body temperature and physical activity as predictors of mortality in a murine model of staphylococcal enterotoxic shock. Comp. Med. 50, 160–166.