Medical researches studies in animals are not 100% equivalent to human studies. ALEEM .M.A. BMJ 2018;360:k124

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We need better animal research, better reported

BMJ 2018; 360 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k124 (Published 11 January 2018)

Cite this as: BMJ 2018;360:k124

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Re: We need better animal research, better reported

Medical researches studies in animals are not 100% equivalent to human studies.

Research studies in animal species and strains, with a variety of metabolic pathways and drug metabolites, may lead to variation in efficacy and toxicity out come.

It may also required different models for inducing illness or injury, with varying similarity to the human condition.

And also In animal studies variable duration of follow-up, may not correspond to disease latency in humans.

So animal studies will only become more valid predictors of human reactions to exposures and treatments if there is substantial improvement in both their scientific methods as well as in more systematic review of the animal literature as it evolves.

Competing interests: No competing interests

12 January 2018

M.A. Aleem

Neurologist

ABC Hospital

Trichy 620018 Tamilnadu India

@drmaaleem