Alternative to animal experimentation" medical book by Jaikumar pareta

Alternative to animal experimentation

Medical book by :Jaikumar pareta

ISBN:  9781310492471

Replacing animal tests does not mean putting human patients at risk. It also does not mean halting medical progress. Instead, replacing animal testing will improve the quality as well as the humaneness of our science.
Thankfully, the development of alternative methods is growing. Due to innovations in science, animal tests are being replaced in areas such as toxicity testing, neuroscience and drug development. But much more needs to be done.
The reasons why animal testing persists are often not scientific. Instead it can be due to conservatism within the scientific establishment – it is easier and more comfortable to simply do what has always been done. Test results on animals can be easily compared to earlier tests on animals to give confidence to scientists. Regulators can adopt a ‘tick box’ approach, divorced from the needs of the real world.

Types of alternatives

Animal studies must comply with applicable laws and regulations as prescribed by the Animal Welfare Act  and the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.  FDA endorses the principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement of the use of animals in biomedical research.

Cell cultures

Almost every type of human and animal cell can be grown in the laboratory. Scientists have even managed to coax cells to grow into 3D structures, such as miniature human organs, which can provide a more realistic way to test new therapies. 

Human cells have been used to create innovative little devices called ‘organs-on-chips’. These can be used instead of animals to study biological and disease processes, as well as drug metabolism. Devices have already been produced that accurately mimic the lung, heart, kidney and gut. The ultimate goal is to use these chips to create a whole ‘human-on-a-chip’. 

Cell cultures have been central to key developments in areas such as cancers, sepsis, kidney disease and AIDS, and are routinely used in chemical safety testing, vaccine production and drug development. 

Human tissues

Both healthy and diseased tissues donated from human volunteers can provide a more relevant way of studying human biology and disease than animal testing.

Human tissue can be donated from surgery (e.g. biopsies, cosmetic surgery and transplants). For example, skin and eye models made from reconstituted human skin and other tissues have been developed and are used to replace the cruel rabbit irritation tests. Companies such as Episkin, Mattek and Cell Systems GmbH now produce these tests in easy to use kits for companies to use to test their cosmetics and other substances.

Human tissue can also be used after a person has died (e.g. post-mortems). Post-mortem brain tissue has provided important leads to understanding brain regeneration and the effects of Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

Computer models

With the growing sophistication of computers, the ability to ‘model’ or replicate aspects of the human body is ever more possible.

Computer models of the heart, lungs, kidneys, skin, digestive and musculoskeletal systems already exist.  They can be used to conduct virtual experiments based on existing information and mathematical data. 

Category: Nonfiction » Health, wellbeing, & medicine » Diseases

Published: Nov. 23, 2015

Words: 3,720

Language: English

ISBN: 9781310492471

Tags: Geetanjali University 

Available formats: epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html 

Published by: Smashwords, Inc.

15951 Los Gatos Blvd., Ste 16

Los Gatos, CA 95032

Available to sell at: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/595509
Price: $1.00 USD

Book cover