At least one Nobel Prize should be awarded to mice

Animal experiments aim to improve understanding of bodily processes, identify disease causes and develop treatments. They particularly include genetic research, behavioral studies, organ transplantation, drug, toxicology and cosmetic testing. Millions worldwide owe their lives to medicines developed through animal testing.

Rodents are preferred particularly for genetic research because their biology is amenable to mutation. Mice are the most frequently used rodents. Illustrating the scale, America alone uses approximately 100 million laboratory mice annually. Other reasons for choosing mice include large brain weight relative to body mass and strong reasoning behaviors.

“Animal experiments” means controlled scientific research conducted on animals. Recent regulations have reduced animal sacrifice, improved living conditions and required ethics committees to scrutinize experiments and procedures. In our country, the Official Gazette dated 15 February 2014 published the Regulation on the Working Procedures and Principles of Animal Experimentation Ethics Committees. Alternatives cannot be developed in the near future. That 3/4 of Nobel Prizes in the field go to research involving animal experiments itself shows they remain indispensable to science, at least for now.

A rumor suggests that a drug found safe and effective in animals is immediately used in humans; this is incorrect. Laboratory studies precede animal testing, examining interactions with living cells and toxicity. A promising drug may then enter animal experiments to assess safety. The next stage is research in humans, beginning with a small number of volunteers (clinical trials).

In conclusion, Alternatives eliminating the scientific need for animal experiments do not appear possible soon. Until then, animal experimentation ethics should be further developed. It is also worth remembering Dr. Richard Klausner’s words: