Dogs in
BiomeDical ReseaRch
by Kate eldRedge
B iomedical research is a dif- ficult subject these days; even more difficult than explaining that your pure- bred Chinese Crested is not responsible for the pit mix that is being euthanized at the shelter today. The people involved in both of these areas are subject to scrutiny and harassment at the hands of extremists, and both are largely misun- derstood. It is easy to believe the stories of mad scientists torturing mice willy- nilly, but that is not accurate. Research using animals is vital to the advance- ment of medicine for all species, and these animals are not mistreated. What is biomedical research and Why are animals used? Without going into too much detail, biomedical research is research that seeks to understand the inner workings and mechanisms of bodies that are both healthy and functioning and unhealthy and not functioning. The topics to study are endless—how a disease starts, evaluating whether or not a new drug works, finding a way to stop the spread of cancer cells. Experiments and studies need to be closely monitored and controlled to allow the researchers to know as much as possible about whatever they are studying; for example, if study- ing the effect of diet on lymphoma, the researchers need to know exactly what each subject eats so that they can then analyze the data and determine
“ReseaRch using animals is vital to the advancement of medicine foR all species...”
whether or not a particular item is ben- eficial or not. Many studies begin at the cellular level, working with tissue samples or biopsies. But there comes a point when the pursuit of knowledge makes it nec- essary to observe a drug or disease in an actual living body. Diseases often affect more than just one area of the body, and to effectively treat them we need to know all of the potential things that can happen to a patient. Medications need to perform their stated function while also not harming the patient in other ways—no one wants to take a cold med- icine that stops your runny nose but makes you go blind. This is where animals (including humans) come in. Scientists take the information learned in vitro and move on to studying the disease or medi- cation in a live animal. Drug studies determine whether or not a medication does what it is supposed to, factors that may affect performance, side effects that may occur, and proper dosages. Successful trials eventually move up to clinical trials with people or which- ever species the medication is intended
for—many of us have friends who have participated in experimental cancer treatments for humans and/or dogs. hoW do We knoW the animals are Well cared for? Research using live animals is heav- ily regulated, and institutions are sub- ject to inspections from a variety of organizations depending on each situa- tion and how they obtain funding. One of the best-known regulations is the Animal Welfare Act. The AWA outlines the space and care requirements for animals used in research. The Public Health Service and the Office of Labo- ratory Animal Welfare cover all verte- brates and their care and housing. All institutions that keep animals must have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee that oversees the facility and makes sure that they are in compli- ance with care standards. Researchers are also encouraged to adhere to three Rs: Replace animals with other models where possible (such as tissue samples), Reduce the number of animals used (if a study only needs 20 rats, don’t use 200),
“expeRiments and studies need to be CLOSELY MONITORED AND CONTROLLED...”
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