Question: When you fins medicines that cure humans do you have to kill animals?

Joanna Cruden answered on 14 Jun 2012:

IThe answer to this question is not straight forward and I am giving you a brief introduction first but not to avoid the question.

It is not really about whether we find medicines or not, I will give you a more general answer which covers all animal research whether the aim is to find a medicine or to understand the mechanisms of a disease which will ultimately lead to either finding a medicine or gaining a greater understanding of a disease or genetic abnormality to help find a way to improve people who are suffering.

Firstly by law (Animal Scientific Procedure Act 1986) all laboratory animals must be humanely killed (put to sleep) after an experiment, or a series of studies unless the animal is deemed fit to continue by a named vet. The reason for this is to keep the suffering of any animal to a minimum.

Secondly for most experiments, scientists need to gain information about the effects on an animal’s tissues or organs and the only way to do this is to humanely put the animal to sleep after the study and complete a fully autopsy on the animal. The most common method is overdose of anaesthetic which is the same method used for pet animals.

The reasons for carrying out a series of studies on the same animal are mostly for metabolism, so to see how a drug is metabolised in the body scientists may use larger animals such as dogs, pig and primates, these species could be kept for many years and there are rare occasions when they can be signed off as fit and re-homed or (in the case of primates) used for breeding.

This may seem sad but you have to remember that the reason these animals are born is to be used in research, we are only allowed to buy common laboratory animals from designated suppliers approved by the Home Office. We cannot (and would not want to) buy animals from pet shops or non designated breeders and suppliers.

As this is a difficult subject I am very willing to expand on what I have said or answer any follow up questions.