Lab Animals: Necessary or Evil?

When the inevitable Penn State Plague hits three weeks into every semester, we do not fear for our lives because we have antibiotics to save the day. Thanks to research with lab animals, previously fatal illnesses such strep throat and pneumonia are no longer a concern. However, there is controversy regarding the ethics of using countless animal lives solely to benefit humans. Is there still a place for animal research in our society? Should certain species (mice, rat, fruit fly) be used instead of more complex species (chimpanzees, rabbits, dogs)? How will removing animals in labs impede future medicinal advancements?

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To analyze this civic issue, it is important to understand that animals are used in research because they make particularly good models to study human diseases. According to report by the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine, it is currently unethical to use a drug or technique first on a human being because of the potential risk of harm. Animals are used as models to replicate human subjects. Animals are fed experimental diets, tested with new vaccines, and exposed to certain toxins to observe the effects. 

Animals Used it Research Credit

An article published by the Humane Society of the United States estimates that 25 million vertebrate  animals are used annually in the United States for research. The most common animal used is the mouse, followed by rats, birds, dogs, and primates. 

Those against the use of animals in research, focus on the fact that animals feel fear and pain like we do. The infliction pain is not an uncommon practice: force feeding, forced inhalation, food and water deprivation, prolonged periods of physical restraint, and the infliction of wounds to study the healing process are present in research. In 2010, the USDA reported that 91,123 animals suffered pain during experiments and were not given anesthesia for relief, including 1,395 primates, 5,996 rabbits, 33,652 guinea pigs, and 48,015 hamsters.

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Those against research involving animals  question what happens to the animals once the experiment ends. In cases that an animal does not die during the experiment, most are euthanized after the experiment is over. Rarely, the animal is used for additional experiments. It is extremely uncommon for animals to be adopted out or placed in a sanctuary, aside from Chimpanzees, which have national protection. 

From the other perspective, using animals has led to life-saving cures and treatments. HIV treatment, vaccines, antibiotics, and insulin are all results of experiments involving animals. The California Biomedical Research Association states that nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from research using animals.

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Dr. Mary Kennett, director of lab animal use at Penn State, used the polio vaccine as one example in support of animal use. Years ago, mothers warned their kids against swimming in pools or lakes in fear of the spread of polio, which causes paralysis and difficulty breathing. The constant fear of contracting the disease loomed over the summer fun. Fortunately, research involving mice and monkeys led to the development of a vaccine that has almost completely eradicated the disease worldwide. 

Alternatives to animal testing include using cell lines and computer models. Those against the use of animals in research, argue that these methods can replace the need of animals. Studying human cells in a petri dish or using artificial skin can be used to solve research questions instead. The counter argument is that there is no alternative to testing on a living, whole body system. Living beings are too complex to be simulated on a computer. Furthermore, interrelated processes between varying body systems cannot be studied in a petri dish. 

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Personally, it is difficult to come to a decision on whether animals should be used in research, which is indicative of the current controversy. As someone with a future in the scientific field, I fully appreciate the value that lab animals play in advancing the field and human care as a whole. In the end, the question is once again boiled down to whether a human life is worth more than an animal life. Although I believe that animal and human lives are equal, I cannot discount the importance of the treatments developed from animal research. 

Where do you stand? Is there a role for animal based research in present day? If so, should only certain species of animals be used? Let me know what you think!