Economic perspectives on bioethics

Wendell Stephenson argues in this issue of The Journal that the National Institutes of Health's standards for the treatment of laboratory animals fail to give any guidance concerning human well-being nor do they balance human well-being and animal well-being. Stephenson fails, however, to demonstrate how such a balance is to be known. In arguing for reform he implies greater state control without showing that such control would improve the situation. Indeed there are good reasons to think that such control may be harmful.