This question makes an appearance on social media every now and again, and attracts reasonable discussion. The simple answer is no, we do not “experiment” on your pet. However, in certain scenarios, with thorough thought and ethical reasoning, following the owner’s consent, we can carry out research. So, is there a difference between experimentation and research? When are vets allowed to carry out research on your pets? What kind of things do we research? Let’s discuss…
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Experimentation vs. clinical research vs. animal testing?
A few definitions to start with….
| Experiment | A scientific procedure undertaken to make a discovery, test a hypothesis, or demonstrate a known fact. Collins English Dictionary |
| Clinical Veterinary Research | Routine procedures undertaken for the benefit of the animal/s, with the concurrent intention to generate new knowledge that benefits animals, such as developing new procedures, improving a diagnosis, changing a routine procedure, or comparing existing procedures. Section 25 of the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct for veterinary surgeons. |
| Animal Testing | Procedures performed on living animals for purposes of research into basic biology and diseases, assessing the effectiveness of new medicinal products, and testing the human health and/or environmental safety of consumer and industry products such as cosmetics, household cleaners, food additives, pharmaceuticals and industrial/agrochemicals. Humane Society International; United Kingdom. |
What is an experiment?
An “experiment” to me has always conjured up pictures of Einstein or cartoon mad scientists surrounded by bottles of strange coloured chemicals and an explosion or two. But in reality, from a scientific point of view, all it means is testing a hypothesis. That is, trying to find an answer to a question. Which essentially is what any kind of research is trying to do.
This question could be absolutely anything; in Veterinary Clinical Research the answer to the question is discoverable via investigation carried out in practice, often within the consult room itself. There are many different areas of veterinary which can be researched this way, such as:
- Diagnostic imaging – for example, creating and testing a unique ultrasound or x-ray technique.
- Medicines – for example, assessing the effectiveness of a certain pain killer for a specific condition.
- Anaesthesia – for example, using a different anaesthetic drug combination for poorly patients.
- Surgery – for example, accessing an organ or mass via a different direction, or with different equipment.
Each area can be investigated thoroughly within practice, on your pet, with your permission.
How is Clinical Veterinary Research different to ‘Animal Testing’?
When considering typical “animal testing” one is most likely referring to controlled scientific procedures carried out on animals in research institutions or laboratories; for example, those carried out to investigate new vaccinations or medicines. In comparison, Clinical Veterinary Research is referring to collating results via procedures or other means carried out in practice as part of the normal progression of a case. In essence, animal testing is carrying out procedures on an otherwise healthy animal, with the sole aim of gathering results. Whereas, Clinical Veterinary Research is the collection of results from procedures we are already doing as part of that case – in these circumstances, the animal will need whatever is being done; the research component is almost a happy accident.
A veterinary example of Clinical Veterinary Research…
The following scenario is a fictional, simplified example to focus discussion:
A vet is treating Luna, a 14 year old Labrador with advanced bladder cancer. The vet has already tried every medication available, and the owners have decided against surgery due to her age and poor health. The cancer has started to affect how Luna urinates, and she is becoming increasingly painful, despite the medicines she is on. The owners believe putting her down is the wrong decision at this time, as she has more good days than bad, is still playful and eats well at home. The vet therefore comes up with two management options: (1) increase the dosage of the medicines she is already on (but this may cause some side effects such as reduced appetite or diarrhoea), or (2) change the medical plan: add or swap in another medicine. But, the vet has already tried every medication available, and every combination they can think of.
This is where Clinical Veterinary Research comes in…
The vet has heard about a current medical trial, investigating the effect medicines G has on advanced bladder cancer in dogs. Medicines G is a combination of several drugs at specific dosages and formulations which the researchers believe will improve pain and quality of life. The vet believes enrolling Luna onto this trial would be best for her welfare.
So, what next? The vet has several things to consider before discussing enrolment with the owner…
1) Ethics: is enrolling Luna onto this trial ethical?
The vet must decide whether enrolling Luna onto this trial is morally right. This is not as simple as “will it improve her health?”. When weighing up the pros and cons of an ethical situation, there are lots of factors to consider:
Will the trial:
- Benefit her health?
- Cure the cancer?
- Improve her pain?
- Allow her to urinate properly?
- Cause her unwanted side effects?
- Make her feel unwell during the treatment?
- Improve her prognosis?
- Improve her expected survival time?
- Help other canine patients?
- Help further scientific understanding of the medicine or cancer?
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but this includes some of the many questions the vet needs to thoroughly consider. Additional factors are patient age and health (younger, healthier patients have generally better prognoses and outcomes) and financial status of the owner (can the owner afford the trial? NB: A lot of Clinical Veterinary Research is free as you are in fact helping the research occur).
The clinical trial itself, as with all Clinical Veterinary Research, would have had to undergo significant scrutiny by an independent ethical review board for it to be deemed ethical.
The following are a few RCVS examples deemed inappropriate:
- Clinical investigations that would not be for the benefit of the animal.
- Experiments using animals primarily for research, where the procedure is not necessary for the animal’s veterinary treatment.
- Withholding routine treatment.
- Deliberately exposing animals to trauma or infectious agents where there is a risk to health and wellbeing.
However, this is not an exhaustive list, and these must be used in context. For example, moving a terminally ill patient onto palliative care (e.g. pain relief) therefore ceasing curative attempts, does not count as withholding treatment.
2) Consent
Once the vet is happy the Veterinary Clinical Research is ethical, they can then inform the owner of their idea. In Luna’s case, the vet can now discuss enrolling her onto the trial with the owner.
The owner is made fully aware of the clinical trial: hoped response, any costs, possible side effects, medicines to be used, rules that must be followed etc. The owner can then make a fully informed decision as to whether to proceed or not – they have the complete right to decline and explore other options. If the owner agrees, they will then need to sign a written consent form, legally declaring they were made fully aware and subsequently made an informed decision to proceed.
Conclusion
This was an example to discuss the role of Clinical Veterinary Research within practice. It illustrates the fact that deciding to include your pet in research is not a simple process. It requires thorough consideration, ethical review and owner consent. So, as vets, we do not experiment on your pet. But, following your consent, we can include them in necessary research to help both the individual and wider pet population, if we deem it both necessary and ethical.
Discussion