I am offered a job in a pharmaceutical company. It involves testing the efficacy and toxic effects of new “investigational” or “potential” medication on several animal species. Usually, we use rats and mice but sometimes it might be necessary to use pigs and/or dogs. What is the ruling of using pigs in medical research? Jazak Allah Khairan for helping me on this issue. If possible, please include the daleel for the Fatwa. Salam alikum
If there is a need to use animals, dogs and pigs, etc. for medical research
and there is no alternative, then it is permissible to do medical research
on animals based on the principle that ‘necessity relaxes prohibition’.
(Ashbah Wan Nazaair; Ibn Nujaym)
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT.