A shared scientific past
As far back as Aristotle in Ancient Greece, the study of anatomy and physiology drew freely on observations from both humans and animals. For centuries, medical understanding advanced through comparative study, with insights gained across species contributing to a deeper understanding of life itself. This convergence was once considered a normal and essential part of science.
The divergence between human and veterinary medicine began in earnest in the nineteenth century, as professionalisation, regulation, and industrialisation reshaped healthcare. Over time, two distinct systems emerged—each with its own institutions, priorities, and rules.
Structural barriers to collaboration
Andrea Short, Research and Scientific Outreach Manager at Humanimal Trust, explains: “One of the most significant barriers to collaboration lies in how professionals are educated. Human medicine is taught with a single-species focus from the outset. Medical students are not exposed to veterinary concepts, comparative physiology, or animal health systems at any meaningful level. Likewise, veterinary students receive little insight into human clinical practice.
“As a result, doctors often graduate without ever encountering veterinary perspectives, while veterinarians may have limited opportunities to engage with human medical research. This absence of crossover in curricula reinforces the idea that the two fields are unrelated—even when they are addressing the same biological problems.
“The separation continues into professional life. Human doctors and veterinarians have entirely different daily priorities and legal duties. There is no overlap in their regulatory responsibilities, professional frameworks, or clinical obligations. Human medics simply do not encounter veterinary topics in practice, and vice versa.
Regulation that reinforces division
“Medicines, clinical trials, and public health rules for humans and animals are regulated by completely different agencies. These parallel systems rarely intersect, even when studying similar conditions or using comparable treatments. The regulatory divide sends a powerful message: human and animal medicine are separate worlds. This is despite growing evidence that many breakthroughs could be accelerated through shared knowledge. From cancer and infectious diseases to chronic pain and neurological conditions, insights gained in one species frequently have relevance for others.
Separate industries, separate worlds
“The divide is further entrenched by the industries that support each profession. Human medicine is closely tied to hospitals, insurance systems, and large pharmaceutical markets. Veterinary medicine, by contrast, operates largely under agriculture, food safety, and private pet care.
“These systems are not designed to interact. Funding streams are separate, and research priorities are siloed. Professional networks rarely overlap. There are few natural meeting points where human and animal health professionals can exchange ideas or collaborate meaningfully. Even the scale of the professions differs dramatically. In the UK, there are 47 medical schools compared to just 11 veterinary schools. For many years, there were only five veterinary schools, with six opening in the last decade.”
Why this matters
The consequences of this separation are profound. When knowledge is siloed, progress slows. Opportunities to improve health outcomes for both humans and animals are missed. Resources are duplicated rather than shared. Most importantly, the potential for more ethical, efficient, and sustainable medical progress is undermined.
At Humanimal Trust, we believe the world would be fairer and more respectful for both humans and animals if One Medicine were more widely understood and delivered. One Medicine recognises that human and animal health are deeply interconnected and that collaboration across species benefits everyone.
A call for change
The renewed focus on animal welfare, rights, and conservation in recent years has reignited interest in comparative and collaborative approaches to health. But interest alone is not enough. Education, policy, and funding structures must change to support genuine collaboration between human and veterinary medicine.
Humanimal Trust exists to drive this change—to challenge outdated divisions and ensure that medical progress is made equally and sustainably for humans and animals alike. By breaking down silos and re-embracing a shared scientific foundation, we can unlock insights that have the power to transform health for all species.
The question is no longer whether human and animal health professionals should work together, but how quickly we can create systems that allow them to do so.