Lesson 4

Learning Topic:

Specific facts about the use of animals in biomedical research review.

Focus Question:

What are the 3 Rs of animal research that you learned about in your webquest?

Why are these important?

Reduce the number of animals being used, Refine

techniques to reduce pain and distress, Replace animal

models with virtual and in vitro models when possible.

These are important because they ensure that the

welfare of the animals is forefront in the research

process.

The Animal Welfare Act of 1966 governs the humane

handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals

by research facilities, dealers and exhibitors. It has

been updated and amended many times since then.

Facts

• Over 90% of the animals used are rodents.

• Most of the animals are bred for research by labs, they are not caught from the wild or taken from owners.

• Many facilities have adoption programs.

• The number of animals used in research is declining, not going up.

• The number of rodents and fish is increasing because of the ability to manipulate their DNA for various studies, including cancer.

Facts

“Cruelty Free” really can mean:

• Company A didn’t research this product but hired someone who did.

• This product is made of two other products that were already researched and considered safe.

• This product has not been researched in the last 5 years.

• This product was never researched.

Welfare and Rights

• Welfare: all people have a moral obligation to treat animals humanely and responsibly

• Rights: philosophical notion that humans and animals have the same legal rights

The Drug Discovery Process (AALAS, 2004)

The process of creating new medicines does not begin, nor does it end,

with animals.

Basic Research Stage – years 0-3• Thousands of substances are being examined and

screened for medical properties.

Development Stage – years 4-10

•Between years 4-10 substances are researched, both in vitro (within an artificial environment including computer simulations), and in vivo (within a living body)

•Preclinical research using animals (years 4, 5, and 6)

•Clinical research using humans (years 7, 8, 9, and 10). During this time, the number of substances is narrowed down to 1 or 2.

Registration of new medicine with the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA)

Introduction of the drug to the public (years 11+)

Product surveillance is done on people years 11, 12+. The product can be recalled even after it was prescribed to the public.

The whole process takes between 11 and 15 years, during which both animals and people are researched.

Homework

Choose from the below worksheets:

• Mouse Math

• Scientific Criss-Cross

• Lab Animal Science Definitions Challenge

• Anatomy Matching Game