A Plan to Reduce Mammal Use in Drug Development

 "Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, a non-profit research institute in Maine, is funding a new initiative to increase the use of non-mammalian models in early drug development. The initiative, dubbed MDI Bioscience, aims to turn to species like zebrafish (Danio rerio), C. elegans, axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum), and African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) to evaluate potential therapeutic compounds at scale before they’re tested in mammals or enter human clinical trials, potentially hastening and honing the decision-making process in early drug discovery and reducing the reliance on mammals such as mice. MDI Bioscience hopes to evaluate drugs before money is spent on costly mammal research, to speed the drug development process, and reduce the number of mammals, and animals in general, used in scientific research. Jim Strickland, the director of MDI Bioscience, says that these goals are aligned the general research practice to reduce, replace, and refine (three R’s) animals in research. The three R’s seek to address the potential ethical issues involved in animal research, which become heightened in higher order animals like rodents and primates."

Thoughts? 

Also- if you need a mood boost, please google axolotls. I promise you will not be disappointed.