PRACTISING ‘HUMANE’ R&D
Adrive to phase out the use of animals in research and testing appears to be gathering momentum and would continue to move ahead towards some concrete steps in the new year. Recently, Taiwan’s Vice President William Lai supported the development of animal-free research methods in Taiwan. Taiwan is planning to establish a centre for the 3 Rs (Replace, Reduce, Refine) to improve conditions for animal-free research. It has already finalised a regulation to remove animal-testing health marketing claims about food products. Just prior to that, the European Parliament (MEP) committed itself to the cause by passing a resolution to make an action plan to curb animal testing. Members of the European Parliament (MEP) requested the preparation of a European Union (EU)-wide action plan with ambitious and achievable objectives and timelines for phasing out use of animals in research. The members also supported a move to speed-up the transition to innovative methods of research and testing without animals.
Around the same time, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) urged India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to devise an action plan for India to phase out the use of animals in research and experiments. Animals are used in testing because humans share 90 per cent of their genes with other animals and both the humans and animals have the same vital organs like hearts, lungs, brain, etc. Animals are used to predict the possible effects the newly developed drugs will have on the human body. In the US, approximately 47 per cent of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget funds animal experiments. Thousands of animals which are used each year in laboratories world over in drug-related experiments and safety and efficacy tests, have to endure untold suffering, including death.
Naturally, animal activists and organisations like PETA are against the use of animals in research. They claim that there are numerous scientific studies and reviews which reveal that experiments on animals do not necessarily provide effective treatments and cures for human diseases. PETA’s ‘The Research Modernisation Deal 2021’ report claims that failure rates of new animal-tested drugs developed for certain diseases exceeds 95 per cent. For example, in case of cancer, it is 96.6 per cent and HIV vaccine is 100 per cent. Nearly 95 per cent of all new drugs that test safe and effective in animal tests fail or cause harm in human clinical trials, the report further claimed.
Though the concern of the animal activists towards animals is genuine and needs to be considered, the role of animals in development of drugs has also been proved to be important. In the UK, the five year survival rate of breast cancer was 50 per cent 40 years back. It increased to 80 per cent now due to advances in treatments. Same is the case with Leukaemia in children. The five year survival and full recovery rate was only 30 per cent 20 years back and it has improved to 80 per cent now. The Ebola vaccine, which was tested for safety in animals, showed promising results in humans, as in 2015 it was found to be 100 per cent safe in 7,500 people. There are several similar cases about many other diseases, which we don’t find dangerous or life threatening or non-curable due to therapies developed after initial testing on animals.
Some scientists agree that the animals should not be used but some feel there is no other alternative to testing on animals. Strict regulations are already in place with regard to use of animals in drug testing. These can be further tightened with the changing circumstances and development of alternative methods of research and tests where animals are not needed. Animal tests for manufacturing cosmetics are already banned in UK, Europe and several other countries. This ban can be imposed everywhere. For research related to food processing also, a similar ban can be imposed. In case of drug discovery and tests, a proper risk-benefit ratio must be determined by implementing a cost benefit analysis system for research involving animals.
From 2022 onwards let’s hope that one branch of research will focus on adopting alternative methods to animal testing in R&D. It is a long process to reach a goal of not using animals in research so that we finally start displaying characteristics of a ‘compassionate society.