Correspondent: Animal Defenders International Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP, UK [email protected]
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Correspondent: Animal Defenders International Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP, UK [email protected] To: World Health Organization, national governments, funding bodies, academia and regulators 14 May 2020 A shift in focus is needed to tackle COVID-19 Since the identification of SARS-COV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, there has been a surge in funding of research and testing to find a vaccine and treatments, with unprecedented collaboration and openness between researchers worldwide. In addition to use of advanced technologies more relevant to humans, such as patient cultures, artificial intelligence and organ-on-a-chip technology some researchers are using animals, including mice, ferrets, primates, guinea pigs, pigs and cats in the UK, US, Netherlands, China and Australia. The World Health Organization-China Joint Mission has advised that the “ideal animal model for studying routes of virus transmission, pathogenesis, antiviral therapy, vaccine and immune responses has yet to be found”, and yet significant funding and precious time is being spent on animal research. This is despite the known species differences which make the results from such data unreliable when translated to humans. For example, mice are one of the most commonly used species in drug and vaccine research. In addition to major differences between human and mouse respiratory systems, species differences specific to research for SARS-COV-2 include that mice do not naturally have the same receptors the virus uses to infect human cells. Researchers are now attempting to “humanize” mice to ensure they contract the virus. Such fundamental differences risk impeding the production of vaccines and other treatments to help prevent and reduce the symptoms of COVID-19 in people. While time, resources and efforts are being put into attempting to find the “ideal” animal model, advanced non-animal scientific methods, which relate directly to the disease in humans, are being progressed. These sophisticated research methods have the potential to deliver safer, more effective vaccines and treatments to the market more quickly but need more funding and support. Advanced techniques include mathematical modelling of transmission and size of the epidemic; the use of patient lung fluid cultures to study the virus genome; patient biopsy samples to investigate lung tissue damage; artificial intelligence models to predict which drugs could treat COVID-19; using antibodies from COVID-19 survivors to treat patients; human organ-on-a-chip technology emulating human lung infection for drug discovery; organoids to investigate how the disease infects human tissue; and in vitro 3D human airway cell models for evaluating drugs. The undersigned scientists, academics, organizations and concerned parties urge the World Health Organization, national governments, funding bodies, regulators, and the scientific community as a whole to prioritize funding and resources for advanced non-animal scientific methods to accelerate the path to finding effective vaccines and treatments for SARS-COV-2 and, going forward, for other human diseases. Signed, Dr Aysha Akhtar, CEO, The Center for Contemporary Sciences Neurologist and Public Health specialist Dr Marion Balscheit, Anesthesiologist and specialist in Intensive Therapy Dr Luisa Bastos, Doctor of Biomedical Engineering Dr Eva Kristina Bee, Dermatologist Dr Lucie Braun, Specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy Jorge Bueno, Biologist, Director Institute of Astrobiology Colombia Dr Vanessa Carli Bones, Veterinarian , Federal University of Paraná Dr Dilyana Filipova, Geneticist and Molecular Physiologist Professor Paul Furlong, Professor of Clinical Neuroimaging, Aston University Dr Andreas Ganz, Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist, Head Physician at the Prinzregent Luitpold hospital Dr Corina Gericke, Veterinarian Javier González Cortés, Professor of the Institute of Bioethics, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Professor Stevan Harnad, Cognitive Scientist, Université du Québec à Montréal Professor Jon Heylings, Chairman and Owner, Dermal Technology Laboratory Ltd and Professor of Toxicology, Keele University Dr Wolf-Dieter Hirsch, General Surgeon and specialist in Visceral surgery, orthopedics and trauma surgery, emergency medicine Dr Shireen Kassam, Medical Doctor and Consultant Haematologist, Kings College Hospital London Professor Andrew Knight, Professor of Animal Welfare and Ethics and Founding Director of the Centre for Animal Welfare, University of Winchester Dr Eva Katharina Kühner, Specialist in Occupational Medicine Dr Martina Kuhtz-Böhnke, Veterinarian Dr Rosmarie Lautenbacher, Anesthesiologist, Psychoanalyst and specialist in emergency medicine Dr Ines Lenk, Obstetrician-Gynecologist and specialist in emergency medicine Dr Laura Leslie, Biomedical Engineer, Head of Group - Mechanical Engineering & Design, Aston University Dr Monika Merkes, Doctor of Public Health Dr Gaby Neumann, Veterinarian Professor Geoffrey J Pilkington, Emeritus Professor of Cellular and Molecular Neuro-oncology, Dr John J. Pippin, Cardiologist and Director of Academic Affairs, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Dr Bernhard Rambeck , Biochemist Dr Keith Redhead, Doctor of Microbiology, Vaccine and Assay Consultancy Dr Hannah Short, General Practitioner Dr Rolf Simon, Orthopedic and trauma surgeon and Senior Emergency Physician at the University of Heidelberg medical clinic Kristie Sullivan MPH, Vice President for Research Policy, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Dr Aryan Tavakkoli, MRCP FRACP CFMP, Medical Director, Quantum Clinic Dr Jan Turner, Doctor of Genetic Toxicology, Director of Safer Medicines Trust Dr Wolfgang Wegert, General Practitioner and biochemist Dr Malcom Wilkinson, Biomedical Science, Managing Director Technology For Industry Ltd Dr Tamara Zietek, Biochemist Supported by: Professor Alberto Alemanno, Professor of EU Law Animal Aid Animal Defenders International Animalia Animal Free Research UK Animal Free Research Switzerland Animal Interfaith Alliance Animal Justice Project Animals Asia Foundation Professor Marc Bekoff, Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Dr Luciana Baroni, Doctor and President of Scientific Society For Vegetarian Nutrition (Società Scientifica di Nutrizione Vegetariana, Italy) Beyond Carnism Dr Charlotte E Blattner, Doctor of Animal Law, Harvard Law School Dr Natasha Boyland, Doctor of Animal Behaviour Brian Blessed Dr Simon Brooman, Senior Lecturer in Animal Law, Liverpool John Moores University CATCA Environmental and Wildlife Society Catholic Concern for Animals Dr Mara-Daria Cojocaru, Doctor of Political Philosophy, Munich School of Philosophy Cruelty Free International Dermal Technology Laboratory at Keele University Djurskyddet Sverige (Animal Welfare Sweden) Doctors Against Animal Experiments Fondation Brigitte Bardot Four Paws Friends of Animals Gaia Professor Robert Garner, Professor of Politics, University of Leicester Dr Trent Grassian, Doctor of Social Policy Humane Research Australia Dr Justine Hollyer, Doctor of Statistics Instituto de Astrobiologia de Colombia Dr Kimberley Jayne, Doctor of Animal Behaviour Professor Barbara King, Emerita Professor of Anthropology, College of William and Mary Kirkstall Ltd Lega Anti Vivisezione (LAV) Lord Dowding Fund Melani Nardone, PhD Researcher in Anthrozoology, University of Exeter National Anti-Vivisection Society Naturewatch Foundation New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society Norwegian Animal Protection Alliance Alice Oven, Masters Student in Animal Welfare Science, Ethics & Law, Centre for Animal Welfare, University of Winchester Pan African Sanctuary Alliance Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Professor Corine Pelluchon, Professor of Philosophy, University of Paris-Est-Marne-la-Vallée Quaker Concern for Animals Rebecca Ram, Clinical Data Management and Scientific Research Consultant Linda Rawsthorn Safer Medicines Trust Save the Asian Elephant Alexei Sayle Jenny Seagrove Dr Jeff Sebo, Affiliated Professor of Bioethics, Medical Ethics, and Philosophy Dr Adam See, Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York Società Scientifica di Nutrizione Vegetariana, Italy SEY Animal Welfare Finland Technology For Industry Ltd Dr Richard Twine, Doctor of Philosophy, Edge Hill University Dr Toni Vernelli, Doctor of Animal Behaviour Benjamin Zephaniah .