History of Animal Research

 First recorded experimentation on animals

occurred in ancient Rome
 William Harvey (1578-1657) discovered blood
circulation via experiments on live deer.
 French philosopher René Descartes (1596-
1650), “animals are incapable of feeling pain.”
 Bentham declared, "The question is not, can
they reason? Nor, can they talk? But can they
suffer?
 "1876 Cruelty to Animals Act" in England
 1960s- the amount of attention, activism, and
scholarship related to animal use has increased
at a rapid pace.
 Proverbs 12:10, we are
taught:
"A righteous man has regard
for the life of his beast,
But the compassion of the
wicked is cruel."
Horrified looks of
Biomedical Research…
Legalized Sadism
Hopeless Faces…
 Fast Facts of Biomedical Research
 Worldwide, approximately 35 million animals
are used in research each year
 United States alone uses 12 million animals
annually.
 Laboratory rats, mice, and birds, which
comprise about 90 percent of all animals used
in research, but are not covered by the Animal
Welfare Act (AWA), and therefore, are not
counted
 The most frequently used species in the United
States is mice, followed by rats, rabbits, guinea
pigs, pigs, dogs, sheep, primates, and cats.
 The majority of animals used in Biomedical
Research are bred specifically for that
purpose by USDA licensed suppliers.
 An estimated 17 to 22 million vertebrate
animals are used each year in research-
less than 1% of the number killed for
food.
 Humans now live an additional 20.8 years
because of the discoveries made from
biomedical research.
 Rats and mice comprise 85 to 95%
of all animals used in research.

 10 to 17 million dogs and cats are

euthanized in pounds and shelters
annually.
 Main Features of U.S. Legislation

 Public Health Service

• Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals,
administered by the Office for Laboratory Animal
Welfare of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

 Animal Welfare Act (AWA),

• specifically named animal species
• administered by the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA).
 Animals in Education
 Experimentation or surgery on live animals (vivisection)
raises a host of concerns about unnecessary pain and
suffering and the unethical use of animals.
 Animal dissection raises many ethical and
environmental concerns:
• the practice involves the unnecessary killing of animals;
• ignores welfare standards during animal capture, preparation,
and shipping;
• releases formaldehyde into the environment;
• focuses on descriptive biology to the detriment of creative
scientific thinking and research;
• causes some students to abandon further science education
• weakens the respect for life and the humane treatment of
animals.
Using Animals for Human Purposes
 Benefits to human from Animal Research
 Philosophical Perspective- animals do not have
moral standing because they do not have:

• self-consciousness
• freedom to act and engage in purposive behavior.
• reasons fro actions and ability to appreciate reasons for
actions
• capacity to communicate with humans using language
• capacity to make moral judgments
• rationality
 Effects of Research on Animal
Welfare
 Cost top the animal- avoiding cruelty
to animal subjects of research
 3 R’s
• Reduce… the pain and used in research
• Refine… the endpoints and procedures
of the experiment
• Replace… animals with non-animal
models whenever possible suffering and
the number of animals.
 Purposes/ Benefits
 What are the purpose and benefits of
the procedures?
 Consider…
 Are your judgments governed by a:
• Teleological perspective (the ends justify
the means
• Deontological perspective (individual
autonomy/ animal rights are more
important than the potential benefits.
 What is the most consistent
principle/ rationale you can offer to
defend your approach?
 Investigator Responsibilities
 Design experiments with concern for
animal welfare.
 Administer research protocols with
concern for animal welfare.
 Report results to the scientific
community.
 Careful Design of Experiments
 Scientific merit
 Compliance with animal use and care
policies
 Attention to 3R principles (reduce,
refine, replace)
 Procedures that minimize animal
discomfort, distress and pain.
 Administration of Protocols
 Adequate training of research personnel
in:
• Animal handling
• Specific experimental procedures (eg.
Injections, blood collection, anesthesia)
• Animal health and care
• Knowledge of research protocol
 Minimize exposure to:
• Animal-inflicted injuries
• Zoonotic diseases
• Biological, chemical and or radiation hazards.
 Reporting Results
 Research results cannot be beneficial
if they sit on a shelf!
 Researchers should report their
efforts to conduct animal research in
a humane manner, including
approval from the campus animal
use and care committee
How can I help stop the pain and
suffering of animals?
 The use of interactive 3-D computer
models, video footage, and plastic
life-size models in schools.
 Speak out against all forms of animal
exploitation and cruelty.
 Buy only cruelty-free makeup,
toiletries, and household products.
• Buy only cruelty-free makeup, toiletries,
and household products.
• Products that are not tested on animals.
 Prepared by:
Glein M. Sayat
Q3A BS Biology