Current Status of Disease Model Importation from Foreign Countries into Korea

Animal models of disease are very useful to screen drugs that may be harmful or have clinical effect, and to better understand the disease mechanism. In this study, we survey the current situation of importation for animal models of disease from foreign countries into Korea. To do this, four companies selling a great number of animal models were chosen for search their current situations on the importation number of disease model, the importation countries and the government role. At first, the largest number of disease animals were imported from USA, followed by Japan, Europe and other countries. The number of animal model imported from foreign countries per year were about 17,300 animals. Of these models, the disease models for obesity and diabetes is the largest number as 8,400 animals, followed by cancer (4,200 animals), immune disease (2,000 animals), neurodigenerative disease (1,300 animals) and cardiovascular disease (800 animals). Also, only 50% of company thought that the use of disease animals was rapidly increase in Korea in near future. Furthermore, all of company responsed that the level of our country on the management of disease model is 40-20% compare with advanced county. Therefore, these results suggested that it is very important to establish the national management program for animal model of disease, and this system must be established as soon as possible in our country.