01105nas a2200205   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260001500043653001800058653002100076653002500097653002000122653002200142100001900164245006300183856009700246490000600343520053600349022001400885       2024                            d  c2024-04-0810aanimal models10aDrug development10aPreclinical research10aclinical trials10apredic3ve methods1 aThomas Hartung00aThe (misleading) role of animal models in drug development  uhttps://www.frontiersin.org/journals/drug-discovery/articles/10.3389/fddsv.2024.1355044/full0 v43 a<p>Animals like mice and rats have long been used in medical research to help understand disease and test potential new treatments before human trials. However, while animal studies have contributed to important advances, too much reliance on animal models can also mislead drug development. This article explains for a general audience how animal research is used to develop new medicines, its benefits and limitations, and how more accurate and humane techniques—alternatives to animal testing—could improve this process.</p>  a2674-0338