Co-producing Human and Animal Experimental Subjects

Exploring the Views of UK Covid-19 Vaccine Trial Participants on Animal Testing

Bibliographic Data

ID5337916
AuthorsVanderslott (0000-0001-8685-7758, University of Oxford), Samantha Vanderslott (University of Oxford), Alexandra Palmer (0000-0001-5273-4813, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, corresponding author), Tonia Thomas (0000-0003-3091-5917, University of Oxford), Beth Greenhough (0000-0002-7351-2619, School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom), Arabella Stuart (University of Oxford), John A Henry (0000-0002-7650-0963, University of Oxford), Marcus English (0000-0002-1887-8538, University of Oxford), Marcus Rex English (University of Oxford), Rebecca De Water Naude (University of Oxford), Maia Patrick-Smith (0000-0001-7679-3754, University of Oxford), Naomi Douglas (University of Oxford), Maria Moore (0000-0001-6456-927X, University of Oxford), Susanne H Hodgson (0000-0002-0895-3442, Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom), Katherine R W Emary (0000-0002-0708-6391, University of Oxford), Andrew J Pollard (0000-0001-7361-719X, University of Oxford)
Year2023
Volume48
Issue4
Pages909-937
Publication date2023-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueScience Technology & Human Values (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0162-2439 • E-ISSN: 1552-8251
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/01622439211057084
PMID37529348
OpenAlexW3212712721
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited31

Preclinical (animal) testing and human testing of drugs and vaccines are rarely considered by social scientists side by side. Where this is done, it is typically for theoretically exploring the ethics of the two situations to compare relative treatment. In contrast, we empirically explore how human clinical trial participants understand the role of animal test subjects in vaccine development. Furthermore, social science research has only concentrated on broad public opinion and the views of patients about animal research, whereas we explore the views of a public group particularly implicated in pharmaceutical development: experimental subjects. We surveyed and interviewed COVID-19 vaccine trial participants in Oxford, UK, on their views about taking part in a vaccine trial and the role of animals in trials. We found that trial participants mirrored assumptions about legitimate reasons for animal testing embedded in regulation and provided insight into (i) the nuances of public opinion on animal research; (ii) the co-production of human and animal experimental subjects; (iii) how vaccine and medicine testing, and the motivations and demographics of clinical trial participants, change in an outbreak; and (iv) what public involvement can offer to science

Animal testing · Biology · Clinical trial · Demographics · Disease · Family medicine · Human animal · Human research · Pathology · Political science · Public health · Public opinion · Sociology · Vaccine trial · Demography · Medicine · Psychology · Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy · Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research · Zoonotic diseases and public health