Myths about animal research- Part 1

Have you or someone close to you ever have an organ transplant? Diabetes? Needed antibiotics to clear up an infection or disease? Who should you be thanking for these modern medical advances? Doctors? Sure. Scientists? Sure. Most of all you should be thanking our furry friends. Most of the major medical advances of the 20th century couldn't have come about without animal testing. The life expectancy of humans has been raised approx. 20.8 years because biomedical research involving animals. Here's a brief list of some of the animals you should give a hug to and say thank you as well as some of their contributions in research:

Pig- organ transplants, skin graphs, medicine that is administered through skin absorption (Nicoderm patch, birth control, etc.)

Horses- tetanus shot and measuring blood pressure

Cow- smallpox vaccine and pathogenesis of tuberculosis

Dog- rabies vaccine, mechanisms of immunity, and joint replacements

Rabbit- Rabies vaccine and mechanisms of immunity

Cat- anticoagulants and treatments for eye disorders

Sheep- Anthrax vaccine and birth defects

Armadillo- treatments for leprosy

Mouse- penicillin, gene transfer for cystic fibrosis, and pathogenesis of Typhus

Guinea pig- tetanus shot, vitamin deficiencies, and the testing of lithium

Rat- understanding diabetes and treatments for arthritis

Primates- understanding Rh factor, polio vaccine, rubella vaccine, and promising drugs for the prevention of AIDS

There are some myths about animal research that I would like to clear up and this will probably lead to several posts. For now though, I'm going to help bust five myths. They are as follows:

Myth #1- Computer models and cell cultures can replace animal testing.

Truth- Animal models provide an invaluable and irreplacable insight into the human systems. This is because certain animals have similiar genetic/or physiological systems. Even the most sophisticated technology models can not mimic the interactions that occur in a living model. There is NO complete alternative to animal research.

Myth #2- Only humans benefit from animal testing.

Truth- Humans and animals benefit from animal testing. Your pet receives vaccines, de-wormers, surgeries, and other diseases that can be treated with modern medicine. Would you volunteer your pet to be the first to receive a new vaccine that did not have prior testing- not knowing the possible side effects? Do you like living with fleas? How about heartworms? Would you let your dog die of heartworms, instead of receiving treatment?

Myth #3- Laboratories steal people's pets for research.

Truth- Most animals in research are specifically raised for research (mice, rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, and most cats and dogs). The remainder of the cats and dogs are acquired through animal shelters from "death row". The USDA requires certificates of authenticity, perform audits, and monitor vendors who sell animals to research facilities. Scientists neither need or want to do research on your pet.

Myth #4- No laws or government regulations protect research animals.

Truth- Let's see for starters here is a brief list or organizations that animal research facilities are governed by:
USDA
FDA
AAALACi
ALAS
AVMA
The Animal Welfare Act

Myth #5- There is no need to test consumer products on animals. Some companies have "not tested on animals" products that you can buy.

Truth- Companies that manufacture food, drugs, household goods, and cosmetics have an ethical and moral obligation to protect the general population. Companies use animal testing to not only determine the safety of a product, but also the important data of the hazards of the product. What would you do in case of an emergency (Poison Control Center). ALL products and ingredients in products has been tested on animals at one time or another. Once the ingredient or product has been proven safe, it is rarely tested a second time.

So the next time you have a headache and pop an asipirin, use neosporin on a cut, take cough medicine, have knee surgery, or buy shampoo remember who the real heroes are and without their sacrifice our lives and other animals lives would not be the same.

A good insight into a very misunderstood issue. It is frequently underestimated just how much we owe to animal testing, and it helps that someone on the inside has taken the time to try and dispell some of these myths.

Now, if we can only get those nutters at PETA to listen...

It always surprises me how a lot of the people I kow can go off and rant on this sort of thing without the least bit of knowledge. Very well said and collected.

I knew most of that, but definitely not the armadillo - leprosy one. Had no idea.

Originally posted by Daystar
A good insight into a very misunderstood issue. It is frequently underestimated just how much we owe to animal testing, and it helps that someone on the inside has taken the time to try and dispell some of these myths.

Now, if we can only get those nutters at PETA to listen...

Thank you for the compliment. Animal rights activists are zealots and are only going to see what they want to see and nothing else. However, my goal here was to nip the animal activist propaganda in the bud for newbies to the idea, because they were blind sided and misinformed. If I can reach just one of those borderline people and prevent them from becoming an activist, then I consider myself accomplished.

PETA kills animals. They took in a little over 2,000 at the PETA HQ last year. They euthenized(sp?) over a 1,000. Then they go on and burn a guys car because the animal shelter he works at euthenizes animals after 30 days.

They fire bomb the MSU research building, well, paid a guy over 45,000 dollars to do it, then 25,000 to not mention them in court. Then the Vice President of PETA is diabetic, using insulin, a big no-no in PETA.

PETA goes on about animal slavery when there are still millions of human slaves in the world.

Originally posted by James the Lesser
PETA kills animals. They took in a little over 2,000 at the PETA HQ last year. They euthenized(sp?) over a 1,000. Then they go on and burn a guys car because the animal shelter he works at euthenizes animals after 30 days.

They fire bomb the MSU research building, well, paid a guy over 45,000 dollars to do it, then 25,000 to not mention them in court. Then the Vice President of PETA is diabetic, using insulin, a big no-no in PETA.

PETA goes on about animal slavery when there are still millions of human slaves in the world.

The guy they paid to bombed the MSU research building was a member of ALF and a well known arsoninst. Coronado There are a lot of no-nos that PETA does. Oh like trying to recruit young children in school playgrounds by handing out extremely violent and graphic comic books and KFC buckets of blood for instance. Remember, these people think that humans are the blight of this earth and that we should be eradicated so that the animals can live. I don't see Dan Matthews boycotting his insulin though it insulin was tested on dogs- if he did well then there would be one less human. Mission accomplished.

Also, The Guy(Coronado) is paid by PETA to go to colleges and teach how to make firebombs. They have him on camera in colleges teaching about how to make FIREBOMBS!

Then another criminal paid by PETA to go to middle and high schools and teach how they are evil for using lipstick, leather, and eating meat. It is just so sad. Also, a diet of just salad causes oustioporosis(sp?) and asolutely kills you sex drive. You are not able to get an erection.(Guy eats 6lbs of salad a day, he says 120 is his current age goal, but if you die of stupidity, well, to bad)

Not everything yopu said is correct.

For instance, companies that dont test on animals dont do it necessarily. They usually run the alergy or safety tests on human volunteers.

While there is plenty of animal testing that is directly used for medical purposes. there are alot of labs and animal testing facilities that perform uneccesary and extremely cruel tests on animals, who suffer in alot of pain for very little gain scientifically. And animal testing is not 100% accurate. Despite all the tests ran on animals, researchers are still required to run tests on humans for either drug safety or research issues. Thus, despite all the animals who have suffered, they still have to run tests on people to gain conclusive and real evidence.

I do not like animal testing, except in very few cases where its absolutely neccesary. Using animals to test non-essential things like cosmetics, shampoo, ect is really horrid. Once the tests are run, the animals are often discarded and disposed of like trash. And though no one really cares, animals do have feelings. They do have some level of awareness. They feel fear, sadness, pain, lonlieness, anger, and helplessness. I believe animals feelings and thoughts should be taken into consideration, as they are living creatures.

And computer models are getting better and better, so sooner or later, computer models will prove superior to animal testing.

Animal test subjects are NOT "heros". No one asked them to become experiments. No one gave them any choice: they were bred for the purpose and forced into it. These animals are victims. Like all those Jews murdered during Nazi medical experiments in concentration camps. They werent heros either, they were unfortunate victims, like the animals in labs today, whose worth and value were considered unimportant, and who were used against their wishes, often with horrid results in the end.