Obesity, Smoking and Addiction

Morbid obesity and cigarette smoking represent the two most substantial causes of preventable death in the Western world. According to recent estimates, about 1/3 of all adult Americans are morbidly obese (meaning that their excess of body weight is large enough that it causes illness or disability), and these numbers are increasing; approximately 15% of … Continue reading Obesity, Smoking and Addiction

Embracing the 3Rs

Guest post from Jayne Mackta, President of the New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research, and CEO of Global Research Education & Training, LLC At NJABR’s recent Strategy Summit entitled Animal Research: Risks & Reality, keynote speaker Jerrold Tannenbaum cautioned the audience to be aware of shifts in language that have tremendous power to affect public perceptions … Continue reading Embracing the 3Rs

Pro-Test’s Pycroft still Speaking Up

Five years ago, a sixteen year old led scientists, students and members of the public in the first ever rally to support biomedical research. Laurie Pycroft shot into the media limelight as the boy who dared to stand up to animal rights activists. The Pro-Test movement he begun has helped to shape the public attitudes … Continue reading Pro-Test’s Pycroft still Speaking Up

Fish for Science

Back in February I wrote about the prominent  role of Zebrafish in the British Heart Foundation's Mending Broken Hearts campaign, an initiative that not only highlighted fascinating developments in regenerative medicine but also the degree to which the public attitude towards animal research has shifted in the past decade. One reason for the change in attitudes towards … Continue reading Fish for Science

Fostering a community response to threats against future scientists

This past week, Negotiation is Over posted on its website encouragement for a new tactic against animal research—targeting university students who plan to enter the health sciences field.  NIO illustrates its proposed tactic by telling of its first "success" story:  the coercion of a Florida Atlantic University science student away from a research career.  What … Continue reading Fostering a community response to threats against future scientists

NIO keep digging in their moral hole

We recently blogged about the disturbing threats made by the Negotiation is Over animal rights extremists website. Many science bloggers have joined SR in condemning their words. Janet Stemwedel (Ethics and Science Blog) ripped apart NIO’s tactics; Dr. Isis (On becoming a domestic and laboratory goddess) made a three point plan to defend scientists; and … Continue reading NIO keep digging in their moral hole

A New Low at NIO: extremists threaten students

Earlier this week, the animal rights extremist group at NegotiationisOver.com posted an email they received from Alena - an undergraduate student at Florida Atlantic University - in response to their attempts to solicit local activists to attend an animal rights event: Actually, I’m an undergrad researcher aiming to work at Scripps [Research Institute]! I currently … Continue reading A New Low at NIO: extremists threaten students