6 Minute English / AI to reduce animal testing

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I m Phil.

And I m Georgie.

Animal testing is when living animals are used in scientific research to find out how effective a new medicine is, or how safe a product is for humans.

Scientists in favour of it argue that animal testing shows whether medicines are safe or dangerous for humans, and has saved many lives. But animal rights campaigners say it s cruel, and also ineffective because animals and humans are so different.

Under British law, medicines must be tested on two different types of animals, usually starting with rats, mice or guinea pigs. And in everyday English, the term human guinea pig can be used to mean the first people to have something tested on them. But now, groups both for and against animal testing are thinking again, thanks to a recent development in the debate: AI.

In this programme, we ll be hearing how artificial intelligence could help reduce the need for scientific testing on animals.

But first I have a question for you, Georgie. There s one commonly used medicine in particular, which is harmful for animals but safe for humans, but what? Is it:

a) antibiotics?b) aspirin? or,c) paracetamol?

Hmm, I guess it s aspirin.