We have known for a century that animals are used in so called scientific laboratories and for most of us the thought of what is perhaps done to those animals is so impossible to imagine that we make no real enquiry as to what is being done that is so important for our own health.

In the face of the trend in medical thinking, few in the public stop to question the principles that are now in vogue and have been happy to leave to others any discussion of a delicate point such as whether or not we are humane in the methods and treatment of laboratory animals.

We are becoming aware in the light of medical controversy, that the purpose of animal testing is not for our protection as patients but is necessary to demonstrate a duty of care of the manufacturers, on the premise that if it is safe for animals a drug or product will be safe for humans. There is well founded climate of some nervousness about medical litigation. Retention of animal testing is presumably seen as a means of protecting companies against legal claims by consumers. This may not be the case in fact. The guidelines to manufacturers of medical and other products are flimsy and the onus is generally upon the opinion of the producer to conduct tests that demonstrate the safety of their goods and the usual avenue of testing is through animals.

The system of using animals in laboratory testing is a huge and powerful and very complex industry that includes not only the expertise of the scientists and up to date medical equipment but requires supplies of special containers and cages for different animals, transport services, airline and special freight arrangements, agents for sourcing animals of different kind and other associated industries and activities.

But times are changing. Many companies have chosen to reject animal testing and are now employing alternative, more sophisticated and efficient technological methods including the comparatively recent human cell testing that can predict with accuracy any toxicity in humans.

 

Tags: animals suffer toxicity, animals trial first, outdated medicine dependency upon animals, reforms needed

Filed under: Animal Welfare, Medicine by admin