{"id":51,"date":"2025-03-05T00:26:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T05:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.ncsu.edu\/animalwelfare\/?page_id=51"},"modified":"2025-03-14T16:57:59","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T20:57:59","slug":"myths-vs-facts","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.ncsu.edu\/animalwelfare\/myths-vs-facts\/","title":{"rendered":"Busting Common Myths"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Myth<\/strong> No. 1<\/strong>: Research on animals is irrelevant to humans because animals are too different<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Fact: <\/strong>While differences do exist, understanding these differences and similarities is useful to advancing scientific knowledge<\/h2>\n <\/summary>\n

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Humans share 98% of our DNA with mice \u2014 and they’re specifically bred for medical and scientific inquiry. Less than 0.25% of animal subjects are nonhuman primates. Less than 0.5% are dogs or cats. In addition to mice, more commonly used animal subjects include rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, pigs, fish and insects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many animals suffer diseases that mimic human diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular illness, epilepsy, diabetes, arthritis and more. Due to these similarities, many life-altering advancements in both human and veterinary medicine can be credited to animal research.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n <\/details>\n\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Myth No. 2<\/strong>: Research animals are treated inhumanely<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Fact: Quality animal care is critical to quality science and federal rules and oversight exist to ensure both are met<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/summary>\n

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Healthy, non-stressed animals produce the most reliable data. Illness and stress can have stronger effects on the results than the experiment intended. If animals are not well-treated, the science and knowledge from their studies will not be trustworthy and cannot be replicated \u2014 two hallmarks of the scientific method.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our research community strongly supports animal welfare. Working with animals is a privilege, and oversight is provided by an institutional committee \u2014 known as the IACUC \u2014 which includes scientists, non-scientists, veterinarians and members of the public.\u00a0Together we ensure that the health and well-being of all animals in our care strictly adhere to federal and state regulatory guidelines and humane principles and that our animals are involved only in productive, meaningful studies.\u00a0Our scientists and staff are committed to providing the best possible care to our animals.\u00a0Additionally, many of our researchers and instructors are involved in research and teaching directly aimed at improving the health and well-being of animals.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n <\/details>\n\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

Myth No. 3<\/strong>: Animal research is no longer necessary because there are non-animal alternatives<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Fact: Animals are only used in research when there is no alternative<\/strong><\/h2>\n <\/summary>\n

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Per federal regulations, animals cannot be used in a research project if viable non-animal alternatives are available. However, we cannot yet reproduce complex diseases, reproduce biological system interactions, or wholly reveal adverse drug effects on off-target organs in a cell culture, computer model or serum assay. The same holds true for animal teaching. While simulation models are available and utilized for preliminary instruction, a live animal is more than a collection of parts \u2014 and students need to understand how internal processes and external environmental factors interact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As science progresses, it may be possible to further reduce the numbers of animals used in some areas. In other areas, the numbers of animals may increase. Scientists and instructors use guiding principles in animal research called the Three Rs:<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n