The use of animals for educational and research purposes is common in both veterinary and human medicine degree courses, and one that involves important ethical considerations. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of differences between the knowledge and attitudes of veterinary students and medical students on animal bioethics, on alternative strategies and on their right to conscientiously object to animal experimentation. To this end, a questionnaire was completed by 733 students (384 human medicine students (HMS) and 349 veterinary medicine students (VMS)). VMS were more aware than HMS (72.2% and 59.6%, respectively) of the existence of an Italian law on the right to conscientiously object to animal experimentation. However, very few of them had exercised this right. Many VMS (43.3%) felt that animal bioethics courses should be mandatory (only 17.4% of HMS felt the same way). More VMS than HMS (81.7% and 59.1%, respectively) expressed an interest in attending a course on alternatives to animal experimentation. The data suggest the need for appropriate educational interventions, in order to allow students to make choices based on ethical principles. Fostering close collaborations between departments of human medicine and veterinary medicine, for example, through shared study modules, could promote the development of ethical competence as a basic skill of students of both veterinary and human medicine courses.

中文翻译：

---

对动物试验的良心反对：意大利医学和兽医学生的初步调查

将动物用于教育和研究目的在兽医和人类医学学位课程中很常见，并且涉及重要的伦理考虑。本研究的目的是评估兽医学生和医学生在动物生物伦理学、替代策略以及他们认真反对动物实验的权利方面的知识和态度之间的差异程度。为此，733 名学生（384 名人类医学专业学生（HMS）和 349 名兽医专业学生（VMS））完成了一份问卷。VMS 比 HMS（分别为 72.2% 和 59.6%）更清楚意大利法律关于自觉反对动物实验的权利。然而，他们中很少有人行使了这项权利。许多 VMS (43. 3%）认为动物生物伦理学课程应该是强制性的（只有 17.4% 的 HMS 有同样的感觉）。与 HMS 相比，更多的 VMS（分别为 81.7% 和 59.1%）表示有兴趣参加有关动物实验替代方案的课程。数据表明需要适当的教育干预，以便让学生根据道德原则做出选择。促进人类医学和兽医学系之间的密切合作，例如，通过共享学习模块，可以促进道德能力的发展，将其作为兽医和人类医学课程学生的基本技能。数据表明需要适当的教育干预，以便让学生根据道德原则做出选择。促进人类医学和兽医学系之间的密切合作，例如，通过共享学习模块，可以促进道德能力的发展，将其作为兽医和人类医学课程学生的基本技能。数据表明需要适当的教育干预，以便让学生根据道德原则做出选择。促进人类医学和兽医学系之间的密切合作，例如，通过共享学习模块，可以促进道德能力的发展，将其作为兽医和人类医学课程学生的基本技能。