Animals in medical research: To use or not to use?

The British Government is under pressure to reassess the value of using animals in medical research.
Two hundred and fifty MPs have signed an Early Day Motion, calling for an independent scientific evaluation of animal tests.
However, pro-test organisations insist animal experimentation must continue. They say it has produced major medical advances and is winning public support.
Jacques Aristide reports.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• animals
• medical
• research
• debate

[Casshyr]

@noratmedicine Your quote on Dr. Alexander Kamb is taken out of context. The article you cited actually supports animal research. In the conclusion, Dr. Kamb highlights the need for ongoing research as well as more careful interpretations of animal models. He does NOT support the idea that we should stop using animal models in medical research.

[noratmedicine]

2005

Given that many of these investigational anticancer drugs eventually fail, the animal models on which clinical trials are predicated must at best be limited in power, and at worst wildly inaccurate. Dr Alexander Kamb, Global Head of the Oncology Disease Area at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 4, 161 - 165.

[NEUHEITEN100]

we r not as different from animals as most people think.

In the racist question we realized it shouldnt be intellectual abilities that count but the ability to suffer and feel pain.

It will take us another hundert years till we realize we shouldnt apply that concept just for our but for all species.

...then people will look back on us as we look back on slave keepers and nazis -uncomprehending and full of digust

[kentuckyboychris]

gust yous niggers

[noratmedicine]

@NinjaGhostScorpion as the less tenable position here is the belief that human medicine can be based on rats, mice etc. and as the term "Hippie" is usually associated with believing that which is not true, in this resopect supporters of vivisection fit the bill better than opponents

[NinjaGhostScorpion]

@noratmedicine Let me guess: College hippie?

[noratmedicine]

@NinjaGhostScorpion According to the US FDA 92% of new drugs fail in clinical trials, after they have passed all the safety tests in animals. US FDA (2004) "Innovation or Stagnation, Challenge and Opportunity on the Critical Path to new Medical Products" As it is wrong 925 fo the time even for toxicity let alone efficacy how can it be necessary?...answer..because it passes anythis as 'safe' and this provides legal protection to drug/chem/tobacco etc co's and harm to us

[Axon36]

@noratmedicine

You will live almost 20 more years that you should because of that research. You welcome!.

[NinjaGhostScorpion]

That's easy. To use. Until we can synthesize medicine, which I don't see happening in the foreseeable future, it's a necessary evil.

[noratmedicine]

@Elvenass Alsdo universitys are usually funded by drug companies, smaller labs must still produced desired data if they want ongoing work and government funded projects whice they may are less likely to be intentionally deceptive still do animals tests for other reasons...history inertia familiarity legal reasons etc