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Policy of animal use in research

Researchers whose work involves the use of animals are required to adhere to the internationally recognized 3Rs Principles, which serve as the cornerstone of ethical animal research:

• Replacement: Employ alternative methods that avoid or replace the use of animals wherever feasible.
• Reduction: Minimize the number of animals used in research without compromising the validity or reliability of the results.
• Refinement: Enhance animal welfare by refining experimental procedures to minimize pain, suffering, and distress.

Authors must provide a comprehensive ethical statement confirming that the study received approval from an appropriate institutional and national (or, where applicable, international) ethics committee and that it complied fully with all relevant animal welfare regulations and guidelines.

This ethical statement should be included in the Methods section of the manuscript and must be presented in a manner that preserves author anonymity during submission. Specifically, the statement should include:

• The name and location of the institutional ethics committee or review board;
• The approval or protocol number;
• The date of approval;
• The national or international guidelines followed;
• Any additional relevant information.

All studies involving animals must comply with the ARRIVE Guidelines (Animal Research: Reporting of In Vivo Experiments) to ensure transparency and reproducibility in reporting. Furthermore, research should adhere to the following regulatory frameworks, as applicable to the jurisdiction in which the study was conducted:

• United Kingdom: The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (as amended by SI 2012/3039).
• European Union: Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
• United States: Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals and Animal Welfare Act.
• Other Equivalent International Standards.

Any manuscript submitted without a clear and appropriate ethical statement will be returned to the authors and will not proceed to review until the required documentation is provided.