#Evergreen: Fair partners in dialogue: Starting assumptions matter and they should be spelled out

April 2nd 2021 In the last few weeks we have detailed the irresponsible behavior of those opposed to animal research during the pandemic and the hypocrisy of their rhetoric now that vaccines have received Emergency Use Authorization—thanks to over a decade of animal research as well as in safety and efficacy testing. We also wrote about how recent media coverage … Continue reading #Evergreen: Fair partners in dialogue: Starting assumptions matter and they should be spelled out

A thank you and a challenge to our readers

March 19, 2021 “Speaking of Research is getting its message out. The last few months have seen a huge surge in the number of readers of our blog. Alexa Rankings now puts us as the highest ranking dedicated pro-animal-research website.   In 2021 Speaking of Research remains one of the highest ranking dedicated pro-animal-research websites. Over … Continue reading A thank you and a challenge to our readers

Fair partners in dialogue: Starting assumptions matter and they should be spelled out

Editors' note: Because the issue of starting assumptions remains in any dialogue about animal-based research, this post has been updated (December 2018) to include more recent anti-animal research organizations, and to provide up-to-date links.  The importance and need for civil, open dialogue about the complex set of issues involved in use of animals is among … Continue reading Fair partners in dialogue: Starting assumptions matter and they should be spelled out

Statement on Harvard’s Decision to Close the New England Primate Research Center

Speaking of Research is saddened to learn about Harvard's decision to wind down operations at the New England Primate Research Center (NEPRC) within the next two years. Over the years the Primate Center has contributed important discoveries in many fields, including AIDS, Parkinson's disease, primate retroviruses, addiction, cardiology and stem cells. The University cited difficult … Continue reading Statement on Harvard’s Decision to Close the New England Primate Research Center

Advancing gene therapy, debunking AR propaganda.

The promise of curing genetic diseases by replacing damaged genes with healthy ones is slowly becoming a reality. One recent story is the development of therapy in humans to reverse a form of childhood blindness called Leber congenital amaurosis, or LCA. OregonLive reports on the story of Alexe Webb who, soon after birth, was diagnosed … Continue reading Advancing gene therapy, debunking AR propaganda.

Caring for Sick Babies: Science versus Animal Rights

There can be few areas of medicine that are as emotionally and ethically fraught as the treatment of babies born with life threatening or debilitating illness. Doctors must constantly weigh up potential benefits to the baby of any procedure against risk that the procedure may harm either the baby or mother. Nevertheless, it’s an area … Continue reading Caring for Sick Babies: Science versus Animal Rights

Restoring science to its rightful place

Yesterday President Barack Obama took a decision that the scientific community has been eagerly awaiting ever since he was sworn in last January, when he issued an executive order ending the severe restrictions that President George W. Bush imposed on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research eight years ago.  This was however not … Continue reading Restoring science to its rightful place

Bloggers fighting back against AR misinformation

It's not ordinarily that I report on the actions of bloggers but it was so refreshing to see their immediate responses to a newspaper article by Simon Chaitowitz. Simon Chaitowitz is the former communications director of PCRM - a psuedo-science organisation whose former spokesman was none other than Jerry violence-against-researchers-is-justified Vlasak. Chaitowitz, who is sadly … Continue reading Bloggers fighting back against AR misinformation