According to the ethical guidelines for conducting psychological research with animals,what is the current position on exposing animals to harmful or painful procedures

A)  It is justified if the research design requires the harmful or painful procedures. 
B)  It is justified for lower animals but not for primates. 
C)  It cannot be justified unless the potential benefits of the research are substantial. 
D)  It is never justified.

The current position on exposing animals to harmful or painful procedures is that it cannot be justified unless the potential benefits of the research are substantial. This means that there must be a clear scientific rationale for the use of animals, and the potential benefits of the research must outweigh any potential harm to the animals involved. Researchers must also use the minimum number of animals necessary to achieve their research goals and minimize any harm or discomfort to the animals.