Epistemology and the Ethics of Animal Experimentation

2021 ◽  
pp. 67-96
Author(s):  
Mylan Engel Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Animal Experimentation ◽  
Proper Treatment ◽  
Continued Use

In this chapter, Mylan Engel Jr. argues that animal experimentation is neither epistemically nor morally justified and should be abolished. Engel argues that the only serious attempt at justifying animal experimentation is the benefits argument, according to which animal experiments are justified because the benefits that humans receive from the experiments outweigh the costs imposed on the animal subjects. According to Engel, the benefits we allegedly receive from animal-based biomedical research are primarily epistemic, in that experimenting on animal models is supposed to provide us with knowledge of the origin and proper treatment of human disease. However, Engel argues that animal models are extremely unreliable at predicting how drugs will behave in humans, whether candidate drugs will be safe in humans, and whether candidate drugs will be effective in humans. Engel concludes that animal-based research fails to provide the epistemic, and thereby moral, benefits needed to justify its continued use.

scholarly journals The pig as an animal model in biomedical research: A review

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 ◽  
pp. 1032-1042 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Dzięgiel ◽  
Paulina Szczurek ◽  
Jacek Jura ◽  
Marek Pieszka
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Genetic Engineering ◽  
Translational Research ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Cardiovascular Research ◽  
Therapeutic Concepts

The advances in translational biomedical research, especially in genetic engineering, created new opportunities to trace the courses of human diseases and develop effective therapeutic methods. There remains, however, a growing demand for appropriate animal models for the precise evaluation of the efficacy and safety of new drugs or therapeutic concepts. Thus far, rodent models have been most widely used in translational research; however, since they do not perfectly reflect the human disease phenotype, transgenic pigs are increasingly being utilized as animal models. Thanks to the anatomical and physiological similarities between pigs and humans, swine are considered to be one of the most valuable animal models used in preclinical studies, including nutritional, metabolic and cardiovascular research. The resemblances involve the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, urinary, respiratory, skeletal muscle and immune systems, as wells as body size, body composition and the omnivorous food choice. In addition, pigs are characterized by high fertility and fecundity, as well as the ease of use and low maintenance costs. Importantly, the existing efficient genetic engineering techniques enable relatively easy generation of tailored porcine models of human disease. One should be aware, however, of some physiological differences between humans and pigs to correctly interpret induced toxicological changes. The article provides an overview of current techniques for genetic modification of pigs, as well as the use of swine models in translational research exemplified by xenotransplantation, metabolic and coronary heart disease, and the gastrointestinal motility studies.

scholarly journals Agricultural Animals as Biomedical Models: Occupational Health and Safety Considerations

ILAR Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-167
Author(s):  
Gaylen L Edwards ◽  
Michael J Azain ◽  
Andrew Parks
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Metabolic Rate ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Physical Plant ◽  
Safety Considerations ◽  
Training Of Personnel

Abstract The use of agricultural animals in biomedical research is increasing. Their overall size and metabolic rate, organ size, longer gestation period, and other physiological similarities make them good candidates for animal models of human disease. There are a number of special considerations for use of traditional farm animals for biomedical research. Differences in physical plant infrastructure, handling equipment, training of personnel, and potential zoonoses are some of the important considerations when traditional farm animals are used in biomedical research. This article provides an overview of some of the special considerations for using traditional agricultural animals in biomedical research. With the growing need for improved translational research, it is reasonable to predict significant growth in these animal models.

Characteristics and Unmet Clinical Needs Related to Hepatocellular Carcinoma

2017 ◽  
Vol 01 (02) ◽  
pp. 074-082
Author(s):  
Jordan Newson ◽  
Nickolas Kinachtchouk ◽  
Kyle Schachtschneider ◽  
Regina Schwind ◽  
Lawrence Schook
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Rabbit Model ◽  
In Vitro Study ◽  
Large Animal ◽  
Curative Therapy ◽  
Large Animal Models

AbstractAdvances in biomedical research require animal models that accurately recapitulate human disease. Without such models, progress against human diseases such as cancer is significantly hindered. Here, we present the current landscape on available and emerging hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) animal models. HCC is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with an annual death toll exceeding 745,000. Stunningly, only 15% of HCC patients are candidates for curative therapy, leading 85% of patients to seek palliative therapeutic options. The VX2 rabbit model is considered the most relevant and widely used HCC model; however, more reliable HCC models are critically needed. In general, animal models for biomedical research should (1) mimic the human disease on a molecular basis, (2) derive from a relevant cell line that lends itself to in vitro study, (3) be reliable and predictable, (4) manifest survival differences, (5) allow for accurate treatment assessment, (6) be readily imaged, and (7) occur in similar background settings as the human disease. Over the past decades, numerous small animal models have been utilized for HCC studies; however, the development of new large animal models as qualified alternatives to murine models represents a key technology to advance research into human clinical trials.

scholarly journals Issues of Animal Welfare Regulations on Pharmacy Education and Research in India

2021 ◽  
pp. 185-194
Author(s):  
Anuradha Girme ◽  
Anil Pawar
Keyword(s):  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Animal Experimentation ◽  
Pharmacy Education ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
Alternative Technologies ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Animal Use ◽  
The Impact

Biomedical research is essential to the health and well-being of our society. Animal use for biomedical research has a long history and is routinely performed in new drug discovery and development processes. Animal experiments are an integral part of the curriculum for students in the life sciences, including pharmacy, to learn how to conduct animal experiments. These experiments may cause pain and distress to the animals. Laws and regulations have been enacted to make it illegal to cause undue pain or suffering to animals. These guidelines provide that due and full consideration should be given to alternative technologies not involving animal testing. Despite the movement to minimize animal use in research, pieces of evidence show that there has been a continuous increase in the worldwide use of laboratory animals over 10 years, from 115.2 animals to 192.1 million. The lack of suitable animal-alternative technologies and unavailability of required infrastructures are some of the reasons for animal use. As per directives of the University Grant Commission, the Pharmacy Council of India has decided to prohibit animal experimentation in pharmacy education. This adversely affected teaching and research activities in pharmacy institutions. As a result, the number of seats available for the postgraduate course (Master of Pharmacy) in Pharmacology is decreasing every year. In 2021, the highest number of seats are available for Pharmaceutics (9510, 35%) followed by that for the Pharmacology (4620, 17%). This article mainly focuses on the background of Indian legislation for animal experimentation and the impact of these regulations on animal experiments for pharmacy education and research in India.

scholarly journals Consideration of Gut Microbiome in Murine Models of Diseases

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1062
Author(s):  
Chunye Zhang ◽  
Craig L. Franklin ◽  
Aaron C. Ericsson
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Mouse Models ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Disease Model ◽  
Potential Contributor ◽  
Potential Factors ◽  
Models Of Disease ◽  
The Impact

The gut microbiome (GM), a complex community of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi located in the gut of humans and animals, plays significant roles in host health and disease. Animal models are widely used to investigate human diseases in biomedical research and the GM within animal models can change due to the impact of many factors, such as the vendor, husbandry, and environment. Notably, variations in GM can contribute to differences in disease model phenotypes, which can result in poor reproducibility in biomedical research. Variation in the gut microbiome can also impact the translatability of animal models. For example, standard lab mice have different pathogen exposure experiences when compared to wild or pet store mice. As humans have antigen experiences that are more similar to the latter, the use of lab mice with more simplified microbiomes may not yield optimally translatable data. Additionally, the literature describes many methods to manipulate the GM and differences between these methods can also result in differing interpretations of outcomes measures. In this review, we focus on the GM as a potential contributor to the poor reproducibility and translatability of mouse models of disease. First, we summarize the important role of GM in host disease and health through different gut–organ axes and the close association between GM and disease susceptibility through colonization resistance, immune response, and metabolic pathways. Then, we focus on the variation in the microbiome in mouse models of disease and address how this variation can potentially impact disease phenotypes and subsequently influence research reproducibility and translatability. We also discuss the variations between genetic substrains as potential factors that cause poor reproducibility via their effects on the microbiome. In addition, we discuss the utility of complex microbiomes in prospective studies and how manipulation of the GM through differing transfer methods can impact model phenotypes. Lastly, we emphasize the need to explore appropriate methods of GM characterization and manipulation.

scholarly journals Preclinical Testing of Radiopharmaceuticals for the Detection and Characterization of Osteomyelitis: Experiences from a Porcine Model

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 4221
Author(s):  
Aage Kristian Olsen Alstrup ◽  
Svend Borup Jensen ◽  
Ole Lerberg Nielsen ◽  
Lars Jødal ◽  
Pia Afzelius
Keyword(s):  
Animal Model ◽  
Animal Models ◽  
Porcine Model ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Radioactive Tracers ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Selection Of

The development of new and better radioactive tracers capable of detecting and characterizing osteomyelitis is an ongoing process, mainly because available tracers lack selectivity towards osteomyelitis. An integrated part of developing new tracers is the performance of in vivo tests using appropriate animal models. The available animal models for osteomyelitis are also far from ideal. Therefore, developing improved animal osteomyelitis models is as important as developing new radioactive tracers. We recently published a review on radioactive tracers. In this review, we only present and discuss osteomyelitis models. Three ethical aspects (3R) are essential when exposing experimental animals to infections. Thus, we should perform experiments in vitro rather than in vivo (Replacement), use as few animals as possible (Reduction), and impose as little pain on the animal as possible (Refinement). The gain for humans should by far exceed the disadvantages for the individual experimental animal. To this end, the translational value of animal experiments is crucial. We therefore need a robust and well-characterized animal model to evaluate new osteomyelitis tracers to be sure that unpredicted variation in the animal model does not lead to a misinterpretation of the tracer behavior. In this review, we focus on how the development of radioactive tracers relies heavily on the selection of a reliable animal model, and we base the discussions on our own experience with a porcine model.

scholarly journals Animal Models in the Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Phage Therapy for Infections Caused by Gram-Negative Bacteria from the ESKAPE Group and the Reliability of Its Use in Humans

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 206
Author(s):  
Martyna Cieślik ◽  
Natalia Bagińska ◽  
Andrzej Górski ◽  
Ewa Jończyk-Matysiak
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Phage Therapy ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Effectiveness Evaluation ◽  
Gram Negative Bacteria ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Enterobacter Species ◽  
The Individual

The authors emphasize how extremely important it is to highlight the role played by animal models in an attempt to determine possible phage interactions with the organism into which it was introduced as well as to determine the safety and effectiveness of phage therapy in vivo taking into account the individual conditions of a given organism and its physiology. Animal models in which phages are used make it possible, among other things, to evaluate the effective therapeutic dose and to choose the possible route of phage administration depending on the type of infection developed. These results cannot be applied in detail to the human body, but the knowledge gained from animal experiments is invaluable and very helpful. We would like to highlight how useful animal models may be for the possible effectiveness evaluation of phage therapy in the case of infections caused by gram-negative bacteria from the ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter species) group of pathogens. In this review, we focus specifically on the data from the last few years.

scholarly journals Methods Used and Application of the Mouse Grimace Scale in Biomedical Research 10 Years On: A Scoping Review

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 673
Author(s):  
Alexandra L. Whittaker ◽  
Yifan Liu ◽  
Timothy H. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Mouse Models ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Facial Features ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Neuroscience Research ◽  
Wide Range

The Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS) was developed 10 years ago as a method for assessing pain through the characterisation of changes in five facial features or action units. The strength of the technique is that it is proposed to be a measure of spontaneous or non-evoked pain. The time is opportune to map all of the research into the MGS, with a particular focus on the methods used and the technique’s utility across a range of mouse models. A comprehensive scoping review of the academic literature was performed. A total of 48 articles met our inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The MGS has been employed mainly in the evaluation of acute pain, particularly in the pain and neuroscience research fields. There has, however, been use of the technique in a wide range of fields, and based on limited study it does appear to have utility for pain assessment across a spectrum of animal models. Use of the method allows the detection of pain of a longer duration, up to a month post initial insult. There has been less use of the technique using real-time methods and this is an area in need of further research.

scholarly journals Bone Morphogenetic Proteins, Carriers, and Animal Models in the Development of Novel Bone Regenerative Therapies

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3513
Author(s):  
Nikola Stokovic ◽  
Natalia Ivanjko ◽  
Drazen Maticic ◽  
Frank P. Luyten ◽  
Slobodan Vukicevic
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Bone Formation ◽  
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Inorganic Materials ◽  
New Bone Formation ◽  
Segmental Bone ◽  
Posterolateral Spinal Fusion ◽  
Regenerative Therapies ◽  
Observation Period

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) possess a unique ability to induce new bone formation. Numerous preclinical studies have been conducted to develop novel, BMP-based osteoinductive devices for the management of segmental bone defects and posterolateral spinal fusion (PLF). In these studies, BMPs were combined with a broad range of carriers (natural and synthetic polymers, inorganic materials, and their combinations) and tested in various models in mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, sheep, and non-human primates. In this review, we summarized bone regeneration strategies and animal models used for the initial, intermediate, and advanced evaluation of promising therapeutical solutions for new bone formation and repair. Moreover, in this review, we discuss basic aspects to be considered when planning animal experiments, including anatomical characteristics of the species used, appropriate BMP dosing, duration of the observation period, and sample size.

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