Toward a human-focus paradigm in health research
BRUSSELS, Belgium (24 November 2023) — Humane Society International/Europe (HSI) recently hosted an online Roundtable during which participants addressed unsolved or emerging public health issues and unmet biomedical research needs that should be prioritized in the EU research and policy agenda, and strategic solutions that should be put in place to tackle them.
1 June 2023
by Kadambari Patil, Centre for Predictive Human Model Systems
Globally, research using microphysiological systems, including organoids and organ-on-chip systems, has grown significantly in the last decade. Their ability to improve predictive accuracy[1] while lowering the ethical and scientific limitations associated with animal testing during disease modelling and drug development have propelled their growth.[2]
In India, the acceptance and development of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) are gradually gaining momentum.[3] Although several research laboratories and start-ups in the country have commenced work on human-relevant models, most of them remain in silos, a factor that continues to limit progress.[4]
[Read more…]18 January 2023
by Shaarika Sarasija
Alzheimer’s disease is cruel. It steals from people those very things that make them unique: their memories, their cognitive skills, their personalities, and finally their lives. It can also significantly affect their loved ones, who must slowly watch the health of their family member or friend deteriorate. On top of all that, Alzheimer’s has tremendous social costs.
As baby boomers enter retirement age, a rapid rise in cases of Alzheimer’s disease should not come as a surprise. Globally, there are currently over 55 million people living with dementia; these numbers are expected to almost triple by 2050.
3 November 2022
In 2021, the number of animals used for research testing in South Korea reached a record high of 4.8 million. This trend of increased in South Korea cuts against the global trend of development and adoption of innovative, non-animal approaches—the New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). Despite its current reliance on animals, South Korea is actively involved in the pursuit of innovative approaches including organ-on-a-chip technology, organoids and computer-based modelling. However, wider adoption of NAMs is slow and could be accelerated through stronger harmonization of efforts involving regulatory authorities and other stakeholders.
To provide the legislative support needed to advance the use of of NAMs, Humane Society International Korea (HSI/Korea) has been working with lawmakers, researchers, and industries to pass the PAAM Act. This bill, the Act on the Promotion of Development, Dissemination and Use of Alternative to Animal Testing Methods was introduced in 2020 at Korea’s National Assembly by Assembly member Ms. In-soon Nam.
4 July 2022
Transparency in scientific publishing, to facilitate fair access to scientific journals for scientists using innovative non-animal methodologies for studying human biology, was the subject of an April 20-21 workshop co-organized by the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine in collaboration with Humane Society International and other groups.
This workshop focused on a subject addressed in a 2021 roundtable session held at the 11th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences (in 2021) entitled “Proof in animals”: Has journal editorial policy fallen behind advances in human-based approaches? The workshop was also informed by a survey conducted by HSI and PCRM in 2021, which brought to light the frequency with which journal reviewers required animal studies in cases where researchers had relied exclusively on non-animal studies. Survey responses suggested that requests for animal studies are so systematic that some researchers apparently conduct animal experiments alongside their use of non-animal models to avoid the risks of manuscript rejection and delay in publication.
