The vast majority of animal experiments involving joint cartilage repair in scientific journals is incompletely reported. Researchers from Utrecht University and the Radboud university medical center analysed 223 studies from all over the world with large laboratory animals, and found that more than 90% provided incomplete information about anaesthesia and pain management. This does not mean pain management was insufficient, but it is problematic for three reasons: it is unclear how exactly animal welfare has been safeguarded, the research is hard to reproduce (repeat), and it is more difficult for other researchers to build on the knowledge generated by this research. As long as we conduct animal experiments, they should be reported better.
In the Netherlands alone, nearly a million and a half people have pain caused by wear and tear of cartilage in the joints. This condition is known as osteoarthritis. It occurs in animals as well. There is no effective treatment for osteoarthritis. Due to the lack of appropriate animal-free research methods, some research on potential treatments that may stimulate the repair of cartilage is done on animals, such as pigs, goats, sheep, dogs and horses.
This type of research often involves the animals undergoing surgery. Just like operations on humans, anaesthesia and pain management are very important, also in the period after the operation. Details about precisely what anaesthesia and painkillers were used are also crucial, so that the best possible animal welfare can be guaranteed, the research is reproducible, and future researchers can build on the acquired knowledge. Moreover, it is known that the research results are influenced by the particular anaesthesia and analgesics the animals are given, and their dosages.
