Along with the great majority of the scientific community, the Royal Society considers that the benefits arising from scientific research which uses animals justifies their use. At the same time, the Society also recognises that special ethical considerations are involved and that animal research must be undertaken only with the greatest care to minimise the suffering of the animals used in research. The Royal Society takes an active role in policy discussions on the use of animals in research, and has a standing Committee to discuss issues related to the use of animals in scientific research.