05 January 2014

Jane Goodall on animal testing



Photo from: http://is.gd/4f1yEx (edited)

Quote below from http://animal-testing.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001887

Jane Goodall, PhD, ethologist and author, stated in her Mar. 17, 2012 op-ed for The Times (UK) titled "So Much Animal Pain, So Little Human Gain":
In the name of science or medicine, animals are subjected to countless invasive, frightening and sometimes very painful procedures. We all want to see cures for terrible diseases such as Parkinson's (which afflicted my mother), cancer (to which I lost my husband), multiple sclerosis and so on, but regardless of how much or how little these experiments benefit human health, should we exploit animals in this way?

Animal experimenters often justify such research by claiming the existence in humans of some morally relevant characteristics, such as intelligence, language, or consciousness, that are supposedly absent in other species. But we are fast discovering a great deal about high levels of intelligence in many animal species, and too about animal consciousness, emotions and sensitivity to pain...

We need a new mindset for the 21st century. Most experimenters, while acknowledging that animals are sentient and sometimes sapient beings, say that some will always have to be used but they will use as few and treat them as well as possible. Instead, let us admit that the practice is morally and ethically unacceptable. We need to move on.

The amazing human brain has already discovered astonishingly innovative ways of improving medical research by replacing animals. Let science direct its collectively awesome intellect toward finding alternatives to the use of live animals in all procedures—as soon as possible. This should be supported by the scientific establishment and vastly increased funding should be found for it. It should be a goal for all civilised societies.

The original article can be viewed HERE by subscribers of The Times.

An interesting list of the pros and cons of animal testing can be found HERE.

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