Ethitex Tissue Sharing program will provide the following benefits to participating institutions:

Reduction in the number of animals sacrificed

• This is an ethically desirable outcome
• Given the choice, the majority of researchers would prefer not to have to sacrifice animals to support research – sharing resources via Ethitex will be preferable for these researchers
• There are reduced costs by making better use of those animals that are being sacrificed.

Recognition of the institution’s commitment to ethics in research

• Within an institution to the local researchers
• Within the wider research community
• To the community at large
• To regulating bodies (eg. NHMRC, RSPCA) and to lobbyist organisations (eg. Worldwide Fund for Nature).

Reduced animal holding costs

Avails researchers of resources that might not otherwise be available and/or justifiable on cost and/or ethical grounds

• In cases of specialised research this can further research outcomes.

Possible reduction in compliance costs

• Use of Ethitex establishes that reasonable steps are taken to ensure that there are no other sources of the required resource available
• Where sharing is established, use of Ethitex provides additional value from a proposed sacrifice
• Use of tissue from pre-deceased animals may simplify the measures required to comply with the institution’s code of practice.