LAUSR

The Editors of Avian Pathology have long recognized the importance of good ethical practice in scientific research. In addition to improving the animal experience, application of ethical principles such as the “3Rs” can reduce non-treatment experimental variation, directly increasing statistical validity and enhancing reproducibility (Prescott & Lidster, 2017). Avoiding or replacing the use of animals (Replacement), minimizing the number of animals used per experiment (Reduction) and adopting methods which minimize animal suffering and improve welfare (Refinement) can improve experimental quality as well as increasing public acceptance of science. In response, Avian Pathology requests its authors to include a statement describing their “Compliance with ethics of experimentation” in all relevant manuscripts. Specifically, authors are asked to describe the ethical oversight applied to all manuscripts which report in vivo experiments, clinical or epidemiological trials. All studies involving experiments on live animals should meet the Animals in Research: Reporting In Vivo Experiments (ARRIVE) guidelines (Kilkenny et al., 2010). Studies which report mortality as an experimental measure require detailed justification. In recognition of the significance of good ethical practice to high quality research, Avian Pathology will now enforce inclusion of an appropriate ethical statement in the Methods section of all relevant studies, returning manuscripts which fail to comply. Please refer to the journal’s “Instructions for authors” for further details. Finally, I would like to thank Professor Neil Duncan for his valuable contribution to Avian Pathology as an Associate Editor. Neil has reluctantly decided to step down from the Editorial Board. His support has been much appreciated. On a positive note, I would like to welcome Dr Monique França (The University of Georgia, USA), Dr Natàlia Majó Masferrer (Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain) and Dr Lonneke Vervelde (The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, UK) to the Avian Pathology Editorial Board. I look forward to working with them.