The status and future of chimpanzee research in the US are at the heart of much discussion lately in both scientific and public spheres. A committee convened by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to consider the issue held a number of meetings and is expected to report its findings to the NIH by the end … Continue reading A Closer Look at the Great Ape Protection Act (GAPA)
Month: November 2011
Opponents of animal research should refuse medical treatment
In a new post, animal rights activist Rick Bogle bemoans that his side is often challenged with a natural question: “Would you forgo medical treatment developed through animal research?” We can safely assume that the vast majority of those that oppose animal research do not have any qualms about vaccinating their children and companion animals or … Continue reading Opponents of animal research should refuse medical treatment
Animal Models of Dystonia – Part II
An invited post by Erwin Montgomery, M.D., and Michele A. Basso, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison. Based in part on some of the findings of altered learning in rodent models, a primate model of dystonia was developed. This model revealed that repetitive stimulation of fingers not normally stimulated together resulted in dystonic postures of the … Continue reading Animal Models of Dystonia – Part II
Animal Models of Dystonia – Part I
An invited post by Erwin Montgomery, M.D., and Michele A. Basso, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dystonia is a neurological disorder of movement characterized by sustained muscle contractions affecting one or more sites of the body. Dystonia frequently causes twisting and repetitive movements and abnormal postures resulting in relentless pain. If dystonia affects one part … Continue reading Animal Models of Dystonia – Part I
Animal research unleashes the power of human embryonic stem cells
For more than a decade now embryonic stem cell research has been one of the most high profile – and indeed controversial - areas of medical science, and it is an emerging field that owes a lot to animal studies performed by pioneers like Gail Martin of UCSF. Recently the field has begun to live … Continue reading Animal research unleashes the power of human embryonic stem cells
Putting Animal Rights Extremists on the Hate Map
Those who believe themselves to be morally righteous have a virtue -- they are usually candid in their public statements. With an absolute conviction in their world views, it is not surprising they also have a rather loose tongue. The hate and violence that lives within animal rights extremists is always near the surface. This … Continue reading Putting Animal Rights Extremists on the Hate Map
Predictions and Animal Models of Human Disease
Some animal activists argue human disease cannot be modeled in animals. They think physiological differences between species imply that treatments developed by means of animal research will not translate to humans. Prediction through the development of models is no doubt a goal of scientific work. Predictions are the fruits of theories that can be tested … Continue reading Predictions and Animal Models of Human Disease
YES to Animal Welfare and NO to a Ban on Animal Research
The following is a guest piece by Prof. Michael Hengartner of the Basel Declaration. An organization founded in Germany to promote well-regulated humane research using animals. The Goals of the Basel Declaration and the Basel Declaration Society Animal welfare and scientific and medical progress are not contradictory. More than 800 international researchers have already shown … Continue reading YES to Animal Welfare and NO to a Ban on Animal Research
Speaking of Research 