BMJ 2002;324:474-476 ( 23 February )

Education and debate

Does animal experimentation inform human healthcare? Observations from a systematic review of international animal experiments on fluid resuscitation

Ian Roberts, professor of epidemiology and public health ^a, Irene Kwan, research fellow ^a, Phillip Evans, consultant in accident and emergency ^b, Steven Haig, senior house officer ^b. 

^a Cochrane Injuries Group, Public Health Intervention Research Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1B 3DP, ^b Accident and Emergency Department, Leicester Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester LE1 5WW

Correspondence to: I Roberts Ian.Roberts@lshtm.ac.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Animal models are often used to test the effectiveness of a drug or procedure before proceeding to clinical trials. One reason for use of animal models is that they allow researchers to focus on particular pathological processes without the confounding effects of other injuries and treatments. However, it is essential that their results are valid and precise. Biased or imprecise results from animal experiments may result in clinical trials of biologically inert or even harmful substances, thus exposing patients to unnecessary risk and wasting scarce research resources. Moreover, if animal experiments fail to inform medical research then the animals suffer unnecessarily.

The Italian pathologist Pietro Croce criticised vivisection on scientific grounds. He argued that results from animal experiments cannot be applied to humans because of the biological differences between animals and humans and because the results of animal experiments are too dependent on the type of animal model used.¹ Croce's . . . [Full text of this article]

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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Hardly the whole story?

David Mitchell (Dr)
bmj.com, 22 Feb 2002 [Full text]

Animal Experiments do not inform on human healthcare

Gillian D Russell
bmj.com, 25 Feb 2002 [Full text]

Re: Animal Experiments do not inform on human healthcare

Sheila Edwards
bmj.com, 28 Feb 2002 [Full text]

Fluid Resuscitation in Animals

Alastair R. Michell
bmj.com, 6 Mar 2002 [Full text]

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