Research scientists seek answers to life’s basic mysteries. Scientists – from the Latin word scientia, which means knowledge – are in search of knowledge. They follow a time-tested and proven scientific process – observing carefully, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments, recording the results, and coming to conclusions based on truth and fact. Scientific research is actually a creative process, like solving a puzzle. If one hypothesis doesn’t work, try another. This requires constantly testing new ideas using various research procedures. Scientists must search for different and less time-consuming methods which still can provide the accurate information needed.
In other words, scientists are simply doing science when they pursue alternatives to the use of live animals as subjects in laboratory research.
To solve scientific puzzles, researchers must search for and use a variety of the best possible methods to get accurate and objective results . Alternative methods – including those which can refine, reduce, or replace the need to test anything on live animals – are a top priority in biological and consumer product safety research. But any alternative approach must always be pursued systematically. New alternative methods cannot be accepted until they are proven reliable and verified by other scientists.
