Factors Limiting the Human Utility of Animal Models

Abstract

Evaluated overall, the 27 systematic reviews and additional studies examined in Chapters 5 and 6 do not support the widely held assumptions of animal ethics committees and of those advocating animal experimentation that such research is generally beneficial in the development of human therapeutic interventions and the assessment of human toxicity. On the contrary, these studies frequently demonstrate that the utility of animal experiments for these purposes is poor. This appears to result both from limitations of the animal models themselves and from deficiencies in the methodological quality and statistical design of many animal experiments.