Case: Animal Experimentation in the Medical Field (Vaccines and Medicine)

For centuries, animal testing has been prevalent in the research field of medicine. Early Greek
physician-scientists engaged in experiments on live creatures to deepen their knowledge of anatomy,
physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. In the twelfth century, Ibn Zuhr, an Arab physician in Moorish
Spain, pioneered the practice of testing surgical procedures on animals prior to human application (Hajar,
2011). In modern day medicine, rats, mice, and purpose-bred birds make up 90% of the animals used for
research purposes (Falsini et al., 2021).

Animal utilization in biomedical research has been instrumental in propelling the progress of
contemporary medicine. As stated in a report by Stanford Medicine, animals employed for testing
purposes exhibit biological similarities to humans, share susceptibility to common health ailments such as
cancer and diabetes, and offer the advantage of lifespan studies, facilitating comprehensive research
(Stanford Medicine, n.d.). Another article details the usefulness of animal testing during the COVID-19
pandemic. Animals were used to understand the mechanisms of the disease, test treatments and vaccines,
study how the virus transmitted, and developed theraputic targets and new strategies to treat the virus
(Falsini et al., 2021).

Although the use of animals in testing treatments and medical practices has proven invaluable, it is
accompanied by ethical, methodological, and practical challenges. These encompass concerns regarding
animal welfare and treatment, the reliability and relevance of testing outcomes, and—.

While researchers strive to mitigate the distress inflicted upon animals, suffering remains an inevitable
consequence of testing practices. Confined to isolated cages, subjected to diseases and injuries, and often
treated merely as objects, test animals endure significant hardship (American Anti-Vivisection Society,
2024). Animals are also genetically altered to create disease models for conditions like cancer, to develop
possible treatments for the ailments (How are animals used in research?, n.d.). Recent advancements in
animal cognition research have shed light on the sentient nature of animals, revealing their capacity to
experience emotions such as pain, joy, and distress, akin to human experiences (Animal
Sentience—Science, n.d.).

Though there is an increase of knowledge in the limitations of animal models, there is still confidence in
the use of animals in biomedical research. There are three main factors that can impact animal behavior
and consequently change research outcomes: laboratory procedures, environment, and disparities between
animal and human diseases (Ahktar, 2015).

1. Animal welfare
2. Reliability and applicability
3.
 Efforts to enhance ethical considerations in vaccine development amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
have spurred exploration of alternatives to traditional animal testing methods. A 2022 report by
Ritskes-Hoitinga, Barella & Kleinhout-Vliek delves into the potential of in vitro and in silico testing as
viable substitutes. In vitro experiments, conducted in controlled environments, offer advantages but often
struggle to replicate the complexities of living organisms accurately. Conversely, in silico methods utilize
computational models to predict drug-pathogen interactions and physiological responses. Despite their
promise, practical implementation concerns arise. Erwan Bezard highlights potential challenges in
achieving statistically significant results and underscores the continued relevance of animal-based
research for examining complex biological processes. He points to the accelerated COVID-19 vaccine
development by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, where animal testing ran concurrently with human trials,
as evidence of its importance. Thus, while alternative methods offer promise, a balanced approach that
considers both reduction efforts and the need for robust scientific data remains essential in advancing
vaccine development and understanding biological intricacies.

American Anti-Vivisection Society. (2024, January 22). Problems with Animal Research - American

Anti-Vivisection Society.

https://aavs.org/animals-science/problems-animal-research/#:~:text=Reliance%20On%20Animal

%20Experimentation%20Can,are%20rarely%20tested%20in%20humans.

Animal sentience - Science - rspca.org.uk. (n.d.). Science.

https://science.rspca.org.uk/sciencegroup/sentience#:~:text=Evidence%20from%20multiple%20s

cientific%20studies,that%20matter%20to%20the%20individual.

Hajar, R. (2011, March 12). Animal testing and medicine. PubMed Central. Retrieved June 5, 2024, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3123518/
Falsini, B., Capodicasa, N., Miertus, S., Lorusso, L., Dondossola, D., Tartaglia, G. M., ... & Bertelli, M.
(2021). Morphological and Cellular Aspects of Melanoma in the Pediatric Age Group: A Review.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(19), 4421. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10194421
Why Animal Research? (n.d.). Animal Research at Stanford.

https://med.stanford.edu/animalresearch/why-animal-research.html