Statistical Review of Animal trials -- A Guideline

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the importance of statistical planning in animal trials, introduces a biometric form to standardize review processes, and aims to improve ethical and scientific quality in preclinical research.

Contribution

It develops a standardized biometric form for statistical planning in animal experiments, aiding compliance with ethical standards and improving research quality.

Findings

The biometric form is implemented by Berlin's animal welfare authority.

The form helps ensure statistical and ethical standards are met.

It promotes consistency and quality in animal trial reviews.

Abstract

Examinations of any experiment involving living organisms require justifications of the need and moral defensibleness of the study. Statistical planning, design and sample size calculation of the experiment are no less important review criteria than general medical and ethical points to consider. Errors made in the statistical planning and data evaluation phase can have severe consequences on both results and conclusions. They might proliferate and thus impact future trials-an unintended outcome of fundamental research with profound ethical consequences. Therefore, any trial must be efficient in both a medical and statistical way in answering the questions of interests to be considered as approvable. Unified statistical standards are currently missing for animal review boards in Germany. In order to accompany, we developed a biometric form to be filled and handed in with the proposal at the local authority on animal welfare. It addresses relevant points to consider for biostatistical planning of animal experiments and can help both the applicants and the reviewers in overseeing the entire experiment(s) planned. Furthermore, the form might also aid in meeting the current standards set by the 3+3R's principle of animal experimentation Replacement, Reduction, Refinement as well as Robustness, Registration and Reporting. The form has already been in use by the local authority of animal welfare in Berlin, Germany. In addition, we provide reference to our user guide giving more detailed explanation and examples for each section of the biometric form. Unifying the set of biostatistical aspects will help both the applicants and the reviewers to equal standards and increase quality of preclinical research projects, also for translational, multicenter, or international studies.