In a significant new study about animal testing, researchers discovered that the vast majority of recent animal-tested drugs failed to receive regulatory approval for humans.
Out of the 367 recent animal tests the researchers studied, only 5% were approved for human use. This study illuminates the ineffectiveness of animal testing in drug development.
The inherent design limitations in animal tests may be a possible cause for this drastic difference, according to the study. One of the unavoidable flaws in animal experimentations is the innate differences between animal and human biology. The study also highlights that people suffering from diseases may have more than one ailment.
“Treatment strategies tested on young, healthy animals, such as those for stroke, may not directly apply to the more complex scenarios of elderly patients with multiple health conditions,” the study noted.
Animals are sentient beings that feel pain. A success rate of 5% for animal-tested drugs that receive regulatory approval means that the overwhelming majority of animals used and killed in tests suffer needlessly. Whether the animals being experimented on are beagles, chimpanzees, rats, pigs, or any other species, these animals deserve a life free of fear and pain.
Lady Freethinker investigations have demonstrated how gruesome and unnecessary animal testing is: Experiments on beagle dogs at Michigan State University resulted in puppies being killed so that their eyes could be dissected. Experiments on mother baboons at Eastern Virginia Medical School caused baboons to engage in self-harm out of extreme psychological distress before they were ultimately killed. These experiments consumed millions of taxpayer-supported dollars and resulted in no new treats for animals or humans to date.
In order to effectively develop treatments for devastating diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s, funding for research should be allocated to more advanced and humane testing methods — such as in vitro studies and other studies using human cells.
The researchers set out to study whether drugs tested on animals reliably translated into successful treatments for humans — and the findings suggest that they do not. With so many humane and more advanced methods available to researchers, we see a future where animal testing becomes a relic of the past.
