How does laboratory animal research teach health professionals, medical professionals and scientists more than what is already known about the human body, injuries and diseases?
There are striking similarities between the body systems of humans and various species of animals. For example, much of what we know about the immune system has come from studies with mice, and much of what we know about the heart and heart disease treatment and surgery has come from studies with dogs. In fact, virtually every major medical advance of the last century is due, in part, to research with animals. Laboratory animal testing is also required by our federal government to first provide necessary information that is then used to design studies using men, women and children as research subjects. It is important to gauge how a new drug or medical procedure will affect an entire living body system before using it on humans. All new medical devices, medical drugs and medical procedures must undergo a scientific peer review, plus a lengthy legal process of being tested with laboratory animals, followed by testing with people.
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