The Ethics of

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The Ethics of Animal Research
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Animal Testing

• While controversial, it is an unavoidable fact
  that animal research has allowed the development
  of medicines and vaccines, surgical techniques
  and advanced scientific understanding in many
  areas throughout history

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1726Stephen Hales first measures blood pressure
in a horse
1796Edward Jenner develops the world's first
vaccine, against smallpox. Critics express
skepticism, calling it ungodly to inoculate
people with material from cows.
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1885Louis Pasteur develops a vaccine for rabies
vac cine / noun /From the Latin vaccinus,
meaning "from cows"
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1881Louis Pasteur proves the germ theory of
disease by inoculating sheep against anthrax.
1902Robert Ross wins the Nobel Prize for his
work, using pigeons, showing how malaria is
transmitted

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1901-1939   Animal research advances our understanding of blood, making transfusions possible. Animal research advances our understanding of blood, making transfusions possible.
1922Researchers isolate insulin. In 1923, Dr. Frederick Banting and Dr. J. MacLeod win the Nobel Prize for their discovery.Photo courtesy Banting Family Collection.
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1955Polio vaccine released and developed by Dr.
Jonas Salk
1964Dr. Michael DeBakey performs the first
coronary bypass surgery using techniques
perfected on animals

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1982Treatment for leprosy developed using
armadillos
1982Prions are discovered in hamsters.
Subsequent studies in mice have shown that these
misshaped, disease-causing proteins can be
inherited
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1989Organ transplantationadvances developed
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Number and kinds of animals used

• The Office of Technology Assessment estimates
  that 17-23 million animals are used in the United
  States for research every year.
• The vast majority of these about 95 are
  rats and mice specifically bred for research.
• In 2010, there were more than 69,516 dogs and
  25,560 cats used in research.

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• By comparison, wildlife biologists estimate that
  over one million animals are killed every day by
  automobiles over 365 million per year.
• Dogs, cats, and non-human primates combined
  account for less than 3/4 of a percent of the
  total and their numbers has been declining for
  nearly 30 years.
• The number of dogs used in biomedical research
  has declined 67 since 1973, and the number of
  cats used in biomedical research has declined 63
  since 1973.

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How can research results derived from animal
testing be extrapolated to humans?

• There are striking similarities between the
  physiological systems of humans and various
  species of animals.
• Much of what we know about the immune system has
  come from studies with mice,
• Much of what we know about the cardiovascular
  system has come from studies with dogs.
• Research results from animals also provide the
  information necessary to design human trials that
  must be completed for legal approval of new
  devices, drugs or procedures.
• It is important to be able to gauge how a new
  drug or procedure will affect a whole biological
  system before using it on humans.

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What assurances exist that stolen or lost pets
are not used in research?

• The vast majority of laboratory animals are
  rodents specifically bred for research.
• Nearly half of the dogs and cats needed for
  research are also bred for that purpose.
• Since state laws and local policies prevent many
  animal pounds and shelters from providing dogs
  and cats to research facilities, animal dealers
  are the primary source for the other half of the
  animals scientists require.
• These dealers must be licensed by the United
  States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and must
  adhere to Animal Welfare Act standards of care.

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Animal Testing

• It is estimated that between 50 and 100 million
  animals are used in research each year.
• Some are purpose bred for testing but many are
  still caught in the wild.

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Measuring Pain and Suffering in Animal Testing

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a
  painful procedure as one that would reasonably
  be expected to cause more than slight or
  momentary pain or distress in a human being to
  which the procedure was applied
• Do you think this is a valid way to measure
  suffering in animal tests?

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Measuring Pain and Suffering in Animal Testing

• In December 2001 the breakdown of experimental
  licenses was
• 39 mild
• 55 moderate
• 2 substantial
• 4 unclassified
• Does this seem a reasonable breakdown to you?

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Is Animal Testing Morally Right?

• The argument between pro-animal testing parties
  and opponents to animal testing hinges on whether
  it is ethical.

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Is Animal Testing Morally Right?

• Advocates for animal testing say
• Human life has greater intrinsic value than
  animal life
• Legislation protects all lab animals from
  cruelty or mistreatment
• Millions of animals are killed every year for
  food, is medical research not a more worthy death
• Few animals feel pain and are killed before they
  suffer

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Is Animal Testing Morally Right?

• Opponents to animal testing say
• Animals have as much right to live as humans
• Strict controls have not prevented some animals
  being abused, though such instances are rare
• Deaths for research are unnecessary
• Animals suffer while they are locked up and how
  do we know when they do and dont feel pain

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The Three Rs

• The guiding principles for the use of animals in
  research are the three Rs
• Replacement Use alternative, non-animal methods
  to achieve the same scientific aim
• Reduction Use statistical methods so that a
  smaller number of animals are required
• Refinement Improve the experiments so that
  animals do not suffer

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Ethical Dilemmas

• Animal researchers say it will be impossible to
  eliminate all animal tests but scientists are
  always working on ways to minimise the suffering
  of animals and to ensure as few animals as
  possible will be required.

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Case Study Laika

• Laika, a mixed bred dog recruited into the
  Soviet space program after being found on the
  streets of Moscow.
• Laikas mission would make her the first creature
  to orbit the Earth in an attempt to study the
  prolonged effect of weightlessness on a living
  being.

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Case Study Laika

• Laika was 3 years old when she was launched on
  the Sputnik 2 spacecraft on November 3rd, 1957.
• She was secured in a special pressurised capsule
  3 days before launch and provided with a high
  nutrition gel for food and water.

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Case Study Laika

• Laika experienced minimal ill effects during
  launch but her heart rate did rise to three times
  its resting rate and she appeared to be quite
  agitated, eventually calming down.
• It appeared that weightlessness alone did not
  cause major changes to the vital physiological
  functions of a living creature.
• This was good news for human spaceflight.