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

Monkeys plays important role in understanding the immune reaction of the virus. Chinese macaque study ensures that antibodies from a SARS-CoV-2 infection can provide immunity, But It’s not clear how long that immunity lasts, and human studies have shown that some people may not develop enough antibodies to provide immunity. Still, the findings from monkeys strengthen the case for human plasma transfusion trials.Primates. Across the world each year, tens of thousands of monkeys - mainly macaques and marmosets - are used in research and testing. In the UK, around 3,000 monkeys are used annually. Much of this use is to develop and test the safety and effectiveness of potential human medicines and vaccines.

Animal experimentation, by its very nature, takes a considerable toll on animals lives as sentient beings. In most experiments, researchers tries to minimize the pain and distress experienced by animals in laboratories; but suffering is, nonetheless, inherent to animal-based research and testing. More than 800 monkeys are used for reasearch purpose which will affect the population. Monkeys are forced to affect with the diseases and they are suffering to a great extend. laboratory animals that is monkeys are not simply machines or black boxes that produce varieties of data. Indeed, animals in laboratories are frequently treated as objects, to be manipulated at will; and little value is ascribed to their lives beyond the cost of their purchase.