How Animal Testing Benefits Us from Diseases

Animal testing has contributed to many life-saving cures and treatments. Humans share 95% of their genes with mice, making them an effective model for studying the human body.

How Animal Testing Helps Protect Us from Diseases

Each year, an average of 5,000 people develop kidney failure, and every one-third of these individuals would pass away without a kidney transplant or regular dialysis. Animal experiments conducted by Joseph E. Murray and other scientists played a pivotal role in the development of organ transplantation techniques. To master the surgical technique for organ transplantation, experiments were carried out on pigs and dogs in the 1950s (Murray, 1990). However, the rejection of new organs became a problem. That’s when Cyclosporine, discovered in 1972, came into play. Extracted from a species of fungus, it was found to prevent the rejection of new organs in mice. Thereafter, Cyclosporine was tested on dogs that had undergone organ transplants, resulting in a threefold increase in the survival rate (Borel et al., 1977). Without the help of animal testing, it would have been impossible for humans to perfect surgical techniques. Thanks to animal testing, around 16,000 kidney patients benefit from kidney transplants each year, eliminating the need for regular dialysis.

Animal Testing and Cancer Research

Research shows that 1 out of every 10 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime (American Cancer Society, 2023). In the 1960s, scientists discovered that hormonal changes could influence breast tumor cells in rats. This research led to the development of Tamoxifen, discovered in 1967. After further experiments with animal testing, Tamoxifen showed positive results in preventing the growth of cancer cells (Jordan, 2006). Animal testing provides a way for researchers to find cures for illnesses before testing them on humans. The initial use of animals has now paved the way for alternatives in breast cancer research. Tamoxifen's success demonstrated that lab-grown cultures of human tumor cells respond to drugs effective in patients. Without animal testing, it might not have been possible to verify the relevance and reliability of cell culture results. Animal studies, mainly involving rats and mice, have also been crucial in the development of monoclonal antibody treatments such as Herceptin (Hudis, 2007).

Conclusion

With the help of animal testing, scientists were able to find a treatment for breast cancer. Today, breast cancer is one of the second most survivable female cancers, with a 77% increase in the survival rate. Introduced in the 1990s, Tamoxifen is a medication used to help prevent and treat breast cancer in women and men by stopping the growth of hormone-sensitive breast cancer cells. This has led to a 30% decrease in death rates from breast cancer (Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group, 2005). Today, Tamoxifen has proven that it can help prevent breast cancer in high-risk women, highlighting the continued importance of animal testing in medical advancements.

References

American Cancer Society. (2023). Cancer Facts & Figures 2023. American Cancer Society.

Borel, J. F., Kis, Z. L., Beveridge, T., & Birch, C. (1977). Cyclosporin A: A new immunosuppressive agent. Transplantation Proceedings, 9(1), 669-671.

Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group. (2005). Effects of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy for early breast cancer on recurrence and 15-year survival: An overview of the randomised trials. The Lancet, 365(9472), 1687-1717.

Hudis, C. A. (2007). Trastuzumab—mechanism of action and use in clinical practice. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(1), 39-51.

Jordan, V. C. (2006). Tamoxifen (ICI46,474) as a targeted therapy to treat and prevent breast cancer. British Journal of Pharmacology, 147(S1), S269-S276.

Murray, J. E. (1990). The first successful organ transplants in man. Journal of the American Medical Association, 263(11), 1537-1539.