Non-Animal Techniques in Biomedical and Behavioral Research and Testing features the contributions of noted experts describing the application of non-animal methods in a wide variety of research and testing situations, including computer modeling/graphics, protein sequence analysis, behavioral analysis, drug design/testing, cosmetic and household products testing, toxicological testing, clinical testing, chemical identification and analysis, and disease investigations. Many of the alternatives covered have applications in behavioral as well as biomedical research and testing. Topics examined include in vitro techniques, molecular genetics, structure-activity relationships, physicochemical methods, computer-assisted drug designs, nutrition, epidemiology, autopsies, neural networks, ethology, image scanning devices, and medical microbiology. Future applications for non-animal methods are also explored. The book will appeal to toxicologists, pharmacologists, cosmetic and household product researchers, epidemiologists, medical microbiologists, biopsychiatrists, biomedical and psychological educators, biochemists, molecular geneticists, and other scientists interested in alternative testing methods.

Scientific experiments using animals have contributed significantly to the improvement of human health. Animal experiments were crucial to the conquest of polio, for example, and they will undoubtedly be one of the keystones in AIDS research. However, some persons believe that the cost to the animals is often high. Authored by a committee of experts from various fields, this book discusses the benefits that have resulted from animal research, the scope of animal research today, the concerns of advocates of animal welfare, and the prospects for finding alternatives to animal use. The authors conclude with specific recommendations for more consistent government action.

Report and recommendations of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research.