Medical Research Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Animals, from the pomace fly to the mouse, are widely
utilized in research project. They are crucial for allowing
scientists to find out more about human biology and
health, and for developing new medicines. The use of animals
in research project has long been the topic of heated debate.
On the one hand it’s considered morally wrong to use animals
during this way solely for human benefit. On the other hand,
our understanding of health and disease would impede after
removing animals completely from the lab, and consequently
affect the event of latest and vital treatments [1]. No responsible
scientist wants to use animals or cause them unnecessary
suffering if it are often avoided, and thus scientists accept
controls on the utilization of animals in research [2].
Are animal models useful? Animal models are wont to address
a spread of scientific questions, from basic science to the event
and assessment of novel vaccines, or therapies. The use of
animals is not only supported the vast commonalities within the
biology of most mammals, but also on the very fact that human
diseases often affect other animal species. It is particularly the
case for many infectious diseases but also for quite common
conditions like Type I diabetes, hypertension, allergies, cancer,
epilepsy, myopathies then on. Not only are these diseases
shared but the mechanisms are often also so similar that 90% of
the veterinary drugs wont to treat animals are identical or very
similar to those used to treat humans. Due to observations and
testing on animal models, a number of major breakthroughs
in basic science and medical research are possible. Most
vaccines, which save many human and animal lives per annum,
are successfully developed using animal models. However the
results obtained on animals aren’t necessarily confirmed in
further human studies [3]. No animal model is ever perfect and
there are still many differences between model organisms and
humans [1].
To help minimise the harm animals may experience while being
studied within the laboratory, researchers are required to follow
a group of principles, the ‘three Rs’. These three Rs Reduction,
Refinement, Replacement was proposed by Russel and Birch in
1959 [4]. Replace: Replacing an animal experiment to the best
possible extent, as long as adequate alternatives are available.
Reduce: The reduction of animal experiments and therefore the
number of laboratory animals to the best possible extent. In so
doing, it’s important to use as many animals as are needed to
get a statistically significant outcome. An adequate number of
animals are required for the results to be sufficiently significant.
Refine: The methods and treatment of the animals during the
experiments, and with reference to the way they’re kept, should
make sure that the distress caused to them is minimized to
the best possible extent which their well-being is taken under
consideration as far as possible [5].
The inspection and licensing of animal premises, the training
and competence of all personal designing projects, performing
animal procedures and taking care of animals are the regulatory
provisions with which research on animals is conducted and
therefore the mandatory authorization of each project by a
competent authority upon ethical evaluation by an Animal ethics
panel. The criteria for evaluation are supported the 3Rs rules
and a cost-benefit analysis to guage if the potential harm to the
animals, which must be reduced to the lowest possible level, is
outweighed by significant progress in terms of data on human
or animal health. Modern medical research facing the greatest
challenges that concern complex, multifactorial, diseases
such as cancer, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases,
neurodegenerative disorders, pathological consequences of
aging among others, for which all experimental approaches are
indispensable. Research on animal models will remain for an
extended time a crucial step for fundamental discoveries, for
testing hypotheses at the organism level and for the validation
of human data. Likewise, animal protection requires permanent
consideration. These two objectives, far away from being
antagonistic, must be anchored in high-quality science [3].