Responsible animal-based research: three flags to consider.

Flagging experiments is one way to reduce the amount of nonhuman animal-based research. Experiments flagged for the following 3 characteristics are highly questionable: few or no citations received in the years following publication, thus having little or no influence on subsequent research; large numbers of animals used; and invasive procedures, such as injections or anesthesia and surgery, used on animals who were then allowed to recover enough to be tested in some way. Selecting and analyzing a sample of articles describing such experiments (such as those by authors at Canadian universities) determines which journals, author-affiliated universities, and acknowledged funding sources have the most flags. One could also assess the work of individual scientists. Using recommendations supplied, efforts to reduce the suffering of animals and the waste of tax dollars can then focus especially on these entities.