On June 2, The Daily published an article describing how Northwestern researchers are responding to current moves by the government to reduce animal-based research in favor of human-based studies. For example, this has been reflected by the recent lifting of a previous requirement that the Food and Drug Administration must consider animal-based data when reviewing new drug applications.
I was disheartened to note that one of the major arguments for reducing animal research was hardly even mentioned in the article: the fact that it is unethical.
Biomedical research that utilizes animals is almost inevitably extremely cruel and, if looked at from a different perspective, might easily be categorized as institutionalized animal abuse. This is a compelling reason not to perform these kinds of experiments.
Furthermore, even if we ignore such considerations, the idea that animal-based research is essential for scientific progress is hard to support in light of current technological advances that utilize humans rather than animals. These include ever more sophisticated stem-cell-based models such as organoids and assembloids, human transcriptomics, live imaging and a variety of other research paradigms.
As we use these techniques more intensively, it is becoming ever more apparent that animal models of human physiology and disease are inadequate in many important respects. It is therefore hardly surprising that animal-based data are, at the very least, inefficient when trying to develop therapies for human diseases.
Unfortunately, many researchers both here at NU and at other institutions are still trying to push outdated arguments that only reveal a lack of critical thought.
Science is one of the most important human cultural endeavors. We need good science, and we need the government to provide increasing amounts of funding for these efforts. However, researchers who don’t move forward with the cutting edge of science will be left behind as animal-based research disappears rapidly in the rearview mirror.
Richard J Miller is a Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at the Feinberg School of Medicine. He can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
