To paraphrase 18th-century statesman Edmund Burke, "all that is needed for the triumph of misguided cause is that good people do nothing." One such cause now seeks to end biomedical research because of the theory that animals have rights ruling out their use in research. Scientists need to respond forcefully to animal rights advocates, whose arguments are confusing the public and thereby threatening advances in health knowledge and care. Leaders of the animal rights movement
target biomedical research because it depends on public funding, and few people understand the process of health care research. Hearing allegations of
cruelty to animals in research settings, many are perplexed that anyone would
deliberately harm an animal.
For example, a grandmotherly woman staffing an animal rights booth at a recent street fair was distributing a brochure that encouraged readers not to use anything that comes from or is tested in animals- no meat, no fur, no medicines. Asked if she opposed immunizations, she wanted to know if vaccines come from animal research. When
assured that they do, she replied, "Then I would have to say yes." Asked what will happen when epidemics return, she said, "Don't worry, scientists will find some way of using computers," Such well-meaning people just don't understand.
Scientists must
communicate their message to the public in a
compassionate, understandable way-in human terms, not in the language of molecular
biology. We need to make clear the connection between animal research and a grandmother's hip replacement, a father's bypass operation a baby's vaccinations, and even a pet's shots. To thoes who are
unaware that animal research was needed to produce these treatments, as well as new treatments and vaccines, animal research seems
wasteful at best and cruel at worst.
Much can be done. Scientists could "adopt" middle school classes and present their own research. They should be quick to respond to letters to letters to the editor, lest animal rights misinformation go unchallenged and acquire a deceptive appearance of truth. Research institutions could be opened to tours, to show that
laboratory animal receive
humane care. Finally, because the
ultimate stakeholders are patients, the health research
community should
activelyrecruit to its cause not only well-known personalities such as Stephen Cooper, who has made
courageous statements about the value of animal research, but all who receive medical treatment. If good people do nothing there is a real possibility that an
uninformed citizenry will
extinguish the precious embers of medical progress.
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