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Confession time. I am a scientist who has used laboratory animals for research; both human and not. It’s not that I don’t understand what animal rights activists are fighting for, it’s that sometimes I believe human needs supercede animal ones.
Medical research using animals is absolutely necessary for us to understand how biological systems work. Animal models of behavioral genetics were featured in the New York Times this week. Over 30 social behavior genes have been identified in animals like roundworms, flies, mice and voles.
The animals and genes mentioned include:
- Prarie voles – Gene for monogamy and gene for parenting.
- Fruit flies – Gene, fruitless, for courtship behaviors.
- Dogs – Gene in the brain involved in modulating stress.
Scientists try to protect both human and animal rights to the best of their ability.
“The problem with humans is that it is extremely difficult to prove anything,” Dr. Catherine Dulac of Harvard said. “Humans are just not a very good experimental system.”
I will take exchange for study Can you help me?
2211 days ago
[...] In an ideal world, we would conduct a randomized trial in which we forced women to bear children at varying intervals as dictated by scientific protocol. And we’d do every invasive medical test available to determine the biology behind any perinatal outcome we observed. Humans are animals and we support animal testing for the good of humans, right? [...]
2218 days ago
[...] I’m sure animal rights supporters would disagree. I, however, side with Pro-Test. [...]
2344 days ago
[...] Animal models are an indispensible part of understanding genomic function. We may no longer look or act like dogs (most of us, anyway), but there is still much that we share with them underneath the surface. [...]