BMJ  2007;334:274 (10 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.39115.390984.1F

Letters

Animal testing

A broader view of animal research

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

Perel et al examined only immediate preclinical testing of new drug therapies,¹ but animal research aids medical science in many more ways Animal studies play a part in the initial development of candidate drugs, and the development and testing of medical devices and surgical procedures. Even more crucial, animal research informs clinical research by building the foundation of biological knowledge. Basic research that expands our understanding of how life systems function indicates to clinicians not only what direction to pursue but what directions are possible.

Although animal research informs clinical research, its circumstances and experimental goals differ from those of clinical research. Thus their protocols and experimental designs necessarily differ. Animal studies generally seek a mechanism of action for treatment, rather than treatment efficacy. They are usually conducted on defined, genetically homogenous subjects with near perfect compliance, as opposed to the large scale diversity of genetics and behaviour of a . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA, ² Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, ³ Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, ⁵ Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Iowa College of Medicine

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