Work

Harm Reduction, Alternatives, and the Ethics of Transition

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Turner (2026) articulates and defends the Proactive Principle of Choosing Less Harmful Alternatives, which asks agents and communities to develop new alternatives to current harmful practices. Drawing on examples from animal experimentation, this commentary argues that an overly alternatives-oriented approach to harm reduction has problematic limitations. The ethics of proactive harm reduction should be understood not just as an ethics of alternatives, but more broadly as an ethics of transition.

Source: Science and Engineering Ethics

DOI: 10.1007/s11948-026-00623-x

Author: Nico Dario Müller

Institution: University of Basel

Language: English

Topic: Animal testing and alternatives

Subfield: Small Animals

Field: Veterinary

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,090