Sincere thanks should be extended to every animal that has been experimented upon over the long history of using animal models for biomedical research ─ which started in 2000 BC when the Babylonians and Assyrians documented surgery and medications for humans and animals. Thanks a million!
The debate about Animal Models and Human Health
Even though we frequently see in the media daily reports about breakthrough biomedical studies performed on animals, the debate is raging nonstop about whether animals can ever faithfully model human health, and also about whether researchers have the right to make predictions about human health based on the results of such studies.
The ongoing controversy is rife with the problematic question of: Can we really suppose that doing research on animals will provide meaningful insights about human health?
Referred to by scientists as ” clinical relevance” , the argument has expanded to the extent that many donor agencies are currently requesting researchers to justify the use of animal models by predicting how likely the results are to make an impact on human health.
Argument Against the Use of Animal Models
Many scientists, however, are not very enthusiastic about the use of animal models or about the conclusions that are regularly jumped to, especially by the media, about how far we can apply the findings of this pool of research on human health. Particularly, they contend that preclinical animal models shouldn’t be entirely valid because of the uncertainties presented by the many differences between species.
The argument is having a special impact on the pharma industry, which has a significant requirement for animal studies at the stage before a drug enters clinical trials. Without such preclinical models, it is not currently possible to test new drugs in humans.
Scientists who take this position usually cite some examples, including a case in 2006, when despite preclinical studies showing the experimental drug TGN1412 to be safe, the participants of a phase 1 trial suffered severe life-threatening reactions
Argument in Support of Using Animal Models
Oppositely, the majority of scientists now believe that studies in animals have always been making a remarkable contribution to human health. For them, the use of animals in these experiments is not only based on the numerous commonalities in the biology of most mammals, but also on the fact that human diseases often affect other animal species ─ which is the case for most infectious diseases and also for very common conditions such as type 1 diabetes, hypertension, allergies, cancer, epilepsy, myopathies, and many more.
According to this line of thinking, scientists believe, not only are these diseases shared, but the mechanisms are often so similar that nearly 90% of the veterinary drugs used to treat animals are almost identical to those used to treat humans.
Importance of Animal Health Translations
For life science businesses, especially pharma firms and animal health companies, whatever the results of the nonstop argument about the use of animal models in biomedical research, the key position that they should be taking consists of the following two directions:
- To approach the entire issue with caution when choosing an animal model.
- To refrain from hurriedly interpreting study results.
Asked how relevant animal models are to human health, a famous animal health expert has resolved the issue by insisting that two of the basic rules, when using animals in basic research, are:
- To avoid anthropomorphizing.
- To take species-specific differences into account as much as possible.
However, even with this compromise, the problems that are facing the life science firms and animal health businesses are still far from being totally resolved. So, what is still remaining?
Animal health firms, and life science businesses in general, have yet to face the major challenge of successfully taking their medical or veterinary products into global markets ─ where the medical terminology might not be understood by patients, physicians or vets. So, in such regions of the world where medical or veterinary medicines are imported, animal health translation is playing a crucial role. The reason is simple. For any medicine to be globally successful, every single leaflet that comes with it must be carefully translated in the local language.
Here, however, comes the vital role of life science translation, and animal health translation in particular, in bridging the knowledge barrier so as to ensure that all concerned stakeholders in the overseas market fully understand what animal health businesses are offering.
But, how can the company pick the right animal health translation partner?
Why Future Trans?
An ISO 17100 certified language services provider, Future Trans is one the few companies around the world with an exclusive team dedicated to animal health translation, and to delivering top-quality services in all African and Middle Eastern languages for more than 20 years, building up a wealth of knowledge and insight, as well as a database of satisfied customers.
Future trans has established a worldwide reputation for regularly delivering veterinary and animal health translation with exceptional precision that complies with regulatory requirements, always on-time and within budget.
When it comes to research & development, clinical trials, regulatory affairs, marketing, corporate, training and publishing, Future Trans takes pride in collaborating with animal health companies at every stage of the product life cycle.
Looking for reliable animal health translation or life science translation services? We’re here to help! Contact us to get a free quote.
