Co-producing Human and Animal Experimental Subjects: Exploring the Views of UK COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Participants on Animal Testing.
Samantha Vanderslott, Alexandra Palmer, Tonia Thomas, Beth Greenhough, Arabella Stuart, John A Henry, Marcus English, Rebecca de Water Naude, Maia Patrick-Smith, Naomi Douglas, Maria Moore, Susanne H Hodgson, Katherine R W Emary, Andrew J Pollard
Author Information
Samantha Vanderslott: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Alexandra Palmer: School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. ORCID
Tonia Thomas: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Beth Greenhough: School of Geography and the Environment, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Arabella Stuart: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
John A Henry: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. ORCID
Marcus English: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Rebecca de Water Naude: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Maia Patrick-Smith: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Naomi Douglas: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Maria Moore: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Susanne H Hodgson: Jenner Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Katherine R W Emary: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
Andrew J Pollard: Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, United Kingdom.
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: . 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.
