19 replies to this topic

[jenn]

i think cit should be illegal for any abuse to animals that is horrible i see something like that on tv i couldnt even watch it i had to change the tv and i had lots of tears it was so sad

[Hawkeye]

My buddy and I say no to all animal abuse and any form of cruel testing!

Edited by Hawkeye, 12 October 2008 - 12:09 PM.

[jackpotmoney]

i just think that people shouldn't animal test because its just wrong and we would like for the animals to have a good life.

[Laura]

jackpotmoney, on Oct 12 2008, 09:45 PM, said:

i just think that people shouldn't animal test because its just wrong and we would like for the animals to have a good life.

What about for advances in medication that could save human lives? Like a cancer or AIDS medication?

[jackpotmoney]

You are right about that. But how would they animals feel?

[mretzloff]

jackpotmoney, on Oct 12 2008, 09:45 PM, said:

i just think that people shouldn't animal test because its just wrong and we would like for the animals to have a good life.

What's the point of a rabbit living, if it means you dying of a drug-related side reaction?

[JerrySizzler]

mretzloff, on Oct 14 2008, 05:03 PM, said:

jackpotmoney, on Oct 12 2008, 09:45 PM, said:

i just think that people shouldn't animal test because its just wrong and we would like for the animals to have a good life.

What's the point of a rabbit living, if it means you dying of a drug-related side reaction?

I'm sure the rabbit probably doesn't care whether or not you die either...  

Aside from the ethical concerns, the main problem with medical testing on nonhuman animals is it's bad science.  When students enter their first year of med school they're typically told something like "Half of the findings you are taught will turn out to be false by the time you graduate".  Why do you think that is?

We always hear about all the successes of animal testing, but what about their failures?  There's hundreds of examples of cases where something worked with animals but not humans. (Or vice versa).   http://www.aavs.org/...chProblems.html

They're a different species with different biological reactions that are extremely hard to predict.  Even if you test a drug or other medical procedure on an animal that has a similar genetic makeup to humans (i.e., chimps) you cannot guarantee it will work the same way on humans.  For one thing, in animal experimentation the animals typically have a condition induced on them... So for example if you're testing cancer medication, a lab animal is first exposed to high levels of radiation until tumors develop.  Now that is already a very different scenario from a 45-year-old human cancer patient who developed cancer as a result of genetic predisposition, poor diet, smoking tobacco, exposure to pollution, or whatever the cause/s might be.  You might as well test scuba gear on sharks.  

Even after you find that a drug works on lab animals, you still have to test it on humans to see if its still effective.  
So the thing is that testing medicine on animals is a big waste of time (and money);  and this is often time patients do not have.  If I was dying of cancer and not responding to chemo, etc. and I had the opportunity to try a new experimental drug, you can bet I would take it.  I'm going to die anyway, so what do I have to lose?   I'd also be doing other patients a favor by testing a drug that could help them.  Unfortunately the way things are set up right now the drug would first have to be tested on animals for years before I'd be allowed to take it.  

Now I'm not suggesting we just give patients whatever crazy concoctions a scientist comes up with.  There are alternatives to animal experimentation that can be used to determine whether there will be negative reactions.  For some citations on that you see here: http://www.aavs.org/researchAlt.html

Edited by JerrySizzler, 16 October 2008 - 06:26 PM.

[Watsongirl]

Animal Testing in not cruel or unusual punishment. I am very supportive of animal testing and I hope to work in that environment as a research veterinarian when I complete my 8 years of schooling. Animal Testing is the reason why we have so many vaccinations.

[IcemanUnlimited]

Call me cold-hearted, but I don't give a **** about the animal as long as humans benefit.