The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
The ethics of research involving animals - Nuffield Council on ...
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T h e e t h i c s o f r e s e a r c h i n v o l v i n g a n i m a l s<br />
Extrapolating the results <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal studies to humans: the scientific validity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
General arguments about scientific validity<br />
10.27 Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> those who oppose animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> scientific grounds argue that anatomical,<br />
physiological, cellular, biochemical and other differences between humans and <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
seriously compromise most extrapolati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> results from animal studies to humans. 1 A few<br />
take an absolutist positi<strong>on</strong>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y claim that the differences between humans and <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
are so substantial as to make any such extrapolati<strong>on</strong> scientifically meaningless, and that the<br />
<strong>on</strong>ly sufficiently reliable model with which to study humans are humans. Others argue that<br />
clinical observati<strong>on</strong>s in humans <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten reveal medical discoveries, which are then<br />
subsequently ‘validated’ in <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> (see paragraph 2.4). <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>clusi<strong>on</strong>s drawn from such a<br />
positi<strong>on</strong> are that (i) most animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> has proved to be dangerous and misleading and<br />
(ii) the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> should be aband<strong>on</strong>ed and replaced by other methods such as cell and<br />
tissue culture, computer-simulati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, computer-simulati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>, or postmortem<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are frequent claims that these approaches are more reliable,<br />
especially if they use human-based models or data. Some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these views were illustrated by<br />
the following resp<strong>on</strong>ses to the C<strong>on</strong>sultati<strong>on</strong>: 2<br />
‘<str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>ly reliable model for a human is a human.’<br />
An<strong>on</strong>ymous<br />
CHAPTER 10 SUMMARY OF SECTION 2<br />
‘It is not proved that animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> is a superior route to informati<strong>on</strong>. Transference <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
results can, and has, proved misleading.’<br />
Internati<strong>on</strong>al Primate Protecti<strong>on</strong> League UK<br />
‘…if, as we maintain, animal experiments do not advance human medicine, there is no<br />
issue other than the fact that c<strong>on</strong>ducting animal experiments is absurd, is unethical for<br />
both <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> and people and should cease immediately.’<br />
Europeans for Medical Advancement<br />
10.28 Other opp<strong>on</strong>ents <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> do not take such an absolutist stance, believing that,<br />
in at least some cases, <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> can be used as scientifically useful models for humans,<br />
although they may remain critical <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> any animal experiment <strong>on</strong> ethical grounds. Like those<br />
who adopt an absolutist positi<strong>on</strong>, these opp<strong>on</strong>ents also tend to argue that n<strong>on</strong>-animal<br />
approaches yield results that are more relevant for humans. <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>y assert that greater efforts<br />
should be made to develop and implement n<strong>on</strong>-animal approaches as replacements for<br />
animal studies. 3 Whatever their positi<strong>on</strong> in the spectrum, all opp<strong>on</strong>ents are also likely to<br />
assert that <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g>ers over-state the predictive value <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal experiments. 4<br />
10.29 Those questi<strong>on</strong>ing the scientific validity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> employ a range <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> examples to<br />
support their general arguments. 5 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g>se include:<br />
1 <str<strong>on</strong>g>The</str<strong>on</strong>g> arguments are usually framed in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> extrapolati<strong>on</strong> from animal studies to humans. In principle, the same arguments<br />
could be applied to extrapolati<strong>on</strong>s between different animal species, for example in veterinary <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> when mice are used<br />
as ‘models’ for pigs or horses. While some <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the discussi<strong>on</strong> in this secti<strong>on</strong> will relate to both claims, in general we focus <strong>on</strong><br />
issues c<strong>on</strong>cerning the transferability <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> data from <str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> to humans.<br />
2 See, for example, Greek CR and Greek JS (2002) Specious Science: How genetics and evoluti<strong>on</strong> reveal why medical <str<strong>on</strong>g>research</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>animals</str<strong>on</strong>g> harms humans (New York: C<strong>on</strong>tinuum Publishing).<br />
3 See Chapter 11 for a discussi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> the scope and limitati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the Replacement approach.<br />
4 See, for example, LaFollette H and Shanks N (1996) Brute Science: Dilemmas <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> animal experimentati<strong>on</strong> (L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>: Routledge).<br />
5 For further discussi<strong>on</strong>, see Animal Procedures Committee (2003) Review <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Cost-Benefit Assessment in the use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Animals in<br />
Research (L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong>: Home Office), pp17-34.<br />
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