Question

What is your view about infecting Monkey with Covid-19 to conduct experiment for human being and what are the ethical issues involved?

Summary of background:

Monkeys were found to have developed antibodies after they were infected with Covid-19. The team infected four rhesus monkeys with the Covid-19. On the seventh day of the experiment, the team euthanized one of the monkeys. About a month later, after tests returned negative results and X-rays showed their internal organs had fully recovered, two monkeys were dosed with the virus through the mouth. The two monkeys were destroyed about two weeks later and autopsies performed. The researchers could not find a trace of the virus in their bodies.

Answer 1

• It is thought that up to 100 million vertebrate animals are used in research around the world every year.
• Most of these animals are euthanized, or put down, after the experiments are over. The types of animals include mice and rats, fish, rabbits, cats, dogs, monkeys.
• IACUC(Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) ensures the research including 3 Rs(Reduction, Replacement, refinement). Reduction means that the research uses the fewest number of animals for research. Replacement means whenever possible, lower order animals such as rats and mice are used instead of higher order animals like monkeys and Refinement is completion of research is carefully modified so that least amount of pain and suffering is inflicted upon the animals.
• Talking about ethical rights, so there are many issued that have been raised for the use of animals in research which includes:

1. Animal Rights and Moral Values
2. Comparative Utility
3. Anthropocentrism

• Covid19, it is an infectious disease which is caused by recently discovered viral strain of corona. Now, there is no specific treatment for this disease, like every organisation is involved in finding the cure and vaccine for this disease.
• Finding a new vaccine or drug requires clinical trial and proof establishment for its safety for the use for humans and it requires clinical testing in various stages and testing on animals is a part of clinical test.
• according to summary, four rhesus monkeys which has similar genome of humans were infected with covid19 virus and they developed antibodies for it. now, researchers should follow the strick rules and guidelines of IACUC.
• if it is possible,researchers should not follow euthanization of monkeys if they found negative results for covid19 test, as they have generated antibodies for it.They should follow other steps to conclude this experiment.
• In summary, I would suggest that euthanization is not an only option for succession of clinical trials on animals.