How Should the 3 's Be Revised and Why?

The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique established what many know today as the "3 R's"-refinement, reduction, and replacement-when it was published in 1959. Since their formulation, these principles have guided decision-making for many about nonhuman animal subjects' uses in laboratory-based research. Discussion about how to amend or replace the 3 R's is ongoing, driven mainly by philosophical ethics approaches to nonhuman animal rights and by scientific advancement.

National Standards and State Variation in Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Forms.

Background: The Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Paradigm is used across the country to document the treatment preferences of seriously ill or frail patients as medical orders. The National POLST Paradigm Task Force maintains consensus-based standards for POLST programs and uses these to determine whether a state POLST program is developing, endorsed, or mature.

Objectives: To evaluate state program form adherence to national standards.