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Animals & Research Part 4: Ethics of using animals in research

Thursday, April 20, 2000

By DELMAS LUEDKE
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

Using animals for biomedical research evokes strong emotions among those on both sides of the issue.

People who favor the use of animals in research cite the many benefits that have accrued to us as individuals and as a society. Among the gains are many antibiotics, vaccines, erythropoietin for the treatment of renal failure and certain anemias, the development of chemotherapies that have become standard treatment for combating or in some cases eradicating cancer and many of the procedures that have paved the way for organ transplants in human beings. The research also has improved the health and quality of life for animals.

On the other hand, those who oppose the use of any animals for research are concerned that such animals are exposed to too much suffering and that there are better alternatives than animal research.

It is unfortunate that the debate gets cast in such a way that it implies that one group cares about animals and another group does not. It is not an issue of caring or not caring. Rather, the issue is how to reduce total suffering for humans and animals. There is strong evidence that without animal research and the modern medicines stemming from that research, overall suffering from disease in this world would be greater, not less.

However, animals should not be exploited or abused in the process of research. To address that valid concern, research facilities are now required to have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee to oversee animal research. The IACUC is made up of research experts, licensed veterinarians and members of the community at large.

I have been a member of such a committee at a local research institution. We monitored each research protocol regarding the use, care and handling of animals. The researcher had to provide evidence that the proposed research had not already been done and that the proposed protocol couldn't be carried out in a scientifically valid way without using live animals.

These committees limit the number of animals used to a minimum required to reasonably test the hypothesis of the study. If an animal is dying, veterinarians determine when euthanasia is indicated in order to minimize suffering. The IACUC reviews each research protocol in detail every six months, in addition to the continuous monitoring done by veterinarians.

Animals & Research, a five-part series

Part 1: Unlocking the secrets of genetic disease through animal research

Part 2: Improving medical treatments for animals

Part 3: Animals are key to discovering new medicines

Part 4: The ethics of using animals in research

Part 5: How research animals live

In a world without disease or suffering, research using animals (or humans) would not be necessary. But until that day, such research allows scientists to systematically study the diseases that plague us.

Using animals in carefully controlled and monitored studies not only can achieve this goal, but also minimizes total suffering. Many potential drugs never reach human testing because they are found to be toxic in animal tests. Animal research also is not just about humans using animals for the benefit of humans. If animal testing confirms the potential benefits and safety of a drug or procedure, then the research moves into the realm of testing on humans. The big difference, of course, is that the consent of the individual is required in the case of human subjects.

It is true that the consent of the animal for participation cannot be obtained. But that is true for most human-animal relationships. The issue may not be so much consent as of respect. From our sacred writings we are taught that all life is sacred. Therefore, all life is to be respected and honored. When a family pauses to pray before eating, they are in essence respecting the source from which came the food, and if the meal contains meat, respecting the life of the animal that made the meal possible.

Some contend that it is morally superior for humans to consume only plants and the products of living animals, such as milk; however, it remains morally acceptable in our society to consume meat for food. If it is acceptable to consume meat for food, it is morally acceptable to utilize animals for research for the purpose of alleviating greater suffering.

The real value of animal research is seen in the lives of people who directly benefit from this research. I have been fortunate to experience with the parents of an 18-month-old child the joy and relief at seeing her go from certain death to having the opportunity to develop her life as a healthy, productive adult because of a bone marrow transplant. I've shared the gratitude of a young parent who is no longer confined to the demands of a dialysis machine three times a week. As a result of a kidney transplant,she can now care and provide for her family. That has been a sacred experience.

Beyond the personal satisfactions that I have experienced in my ministry, we as a society are enriched because of the new life and improved quality of the lives of people benefiting from animal research.

Animals used for research purposes ought never be treated with disregard, nor should they be used frivolously. We must continue to honor all life and continue to use our best judgments and scientific techniques in minimizing the suffering of those animals (and humans) that make it possible, through appropriate research, to combat the medical problems that confront us.

Rev. Delmas Luedke is manager for Spiritual Care at Swedish Medical Center, Seattle.

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