Animals in Scientific Research

Number of Animals Used in Scientific Research

Using animals in biomedical research for the purpose of finding cures or treatments to human diseases has often been referred to as a necessary evil.

Most people agree that inflicting pain and suffering on sentient beings (capable of feeling and perception) is wrong. However, those same people usually agree that it is unethical to allow a sick human to die or suffer when biomedical research using animals might ease that suffering. Hence the phrase necessary evil.

NAVS is an educational organization, promoting greater compassion for all. Concern for animals is our motivating factor, but we are also concerned about people. After all, we are people too. NAVS’ mission, the elimination of animal use in product testing, education and biomedical research, overlaps with science. So it is appropriate that we analyze what the results of our goals will be for society at large, while not ignoring the effect it would have on animals.

“Ever since puberty, I have believed in the value of two things: kindness and clear thinking. At first these two remained more or less distinct; when I felt triumphant I believed most in clear thinking, and in the opposite mood I believed most in kindness. Gradually, the two have come more and more together in my feelings. I find that much unclear thought exists as an excuse for cruelty and that much cruelty is prompted by superstitious beliefs.”  - Bertrand Russell, British philosopher and mathematician (1872-1970)

The above quote is appropriate to begin the section on animals in science for several reasons.

As Bertrand Russell said, what we have found is that when people take a clear, unbiased, in-depth look at the issue of using animals in science they find that they do not have to choose between compassion and clear thinking. They find that eliminating animals in science is actually a win-win-win situation. Diseases will be cured sooner, animals will not be tortured, education will be better, drugs will be cheaper and so on. The benefits for everyone are myriad.

Before we go any further, there are a few general statements and introductory comments about science that will hopefully aid you in understanding the issues and help when you discuss them with others.

In order to understand how and why animals are used in science, and why they do not need to be used-- reading the following two sections is necessary. Critiques of the practices of science, like science itself, cannot adequately be explained in a sound bite. 

                        What is science?                       Critical thought

The use of animals in science can be divided into two general categories:

1) living, intact animals

2) tissue obtained from animals

These two general categories can be broken down further as follows:

1. Animals are used as models to study human disease or in medical research.
2. Animals are used as test subjects (e.g., to test drugs for efficacy and side effects, and to test chemicals to determine if they cause cancer, birth defects, or other conditions).
3. Animal tissues are used as spare parts (e.g., heart valves) for human patients or as ingredients in vaccines and drugs.
4. Animals are used as living incubators for substances that are used in medicine, such as insulin for diabetic patients or monoclonal antibodies.
5. Animal tissue and living animals are used to study basic physiological principles (e.g., animals were used to discover some of the very basic principles about anatomy and physiology).
6. Animals are used in education such as dissection exercises in life science classrooms and for training medical doctors in some procedures.
7. Animals are used as a modality for ideas; as heuristic (encouraging discovery of solutions) devices.
8. Animals are used to gain knowledge for the sake of knowledge as an end in and of itself.
9. Animals are used to study a disease or condition for the benefit of the same species, but not the benefit of the individual animal being studied.

For a more in depth understanding of the scientific arguments highlighted on this website we suggest the following books:

1. Greek and Greek. Sacred Cows and Golden Geese. Continuum 2000.
2. Greek and Greek. Specious Science. Continuum 2002.
3. Greek and Greek. What Will We Do If We Don’t Experiment On Animals? Trafford 2004.
4. Brute Science. LaFollette and Shanks. Routledge 1996.
5. Animal Research in Light of Evolution. Shanks and Greek. Rodopi 2009 (scheduled).

More books and resources can be found on the AFMA website.

Appendix