Ethics Of Animal Testing For Medical Research

[tednlou2]

NBC's "Rock Center" investigated chimpanzee research for medical research.  HEP C was a main focus of the research in these particular chimps.  When we discuss research here, I would bet most of us rarely think about the animals used to achieve that research. 

I know any animal suffering is necessary to help prevent human suffering.  I would feel better about it, if they were retired at some point and allowed to live a "normal" life.  Many of the chimps in U.S. laboratories are being stockpiled just in case they are needed again.  And, this is what the main focus of the story is and proposed guidelines for retirement.  Chimps are so much like humans with feelings and intelligence.     

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46198400#46198400

The next clip shows the mental stress chimps, who have been freed, have for years.  It shows just how much they are like humans.  It also discusses current proposed legislation.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/46198400#46198469

   

[freewillie99]

I'm a member of PETA: People for Eating Tasty Animals

[contagion]

Lol @ freewillie

I love animals. But when it comes to testing a cure - I think apes being the closest to the human race - I'm not so sure my love in unconditional!

[wolfter]

Lol @ freewillie

I love animals. But when it comes to testing a cure - I think apes being the closest to the human race - I'm not so sure my love in unconditional!

We share 97% of our DNA with chimps.  Chimps are not apes.

Wolfie

[contagion]

Yes chimps. You get my point though!

[Ann]

We share 97% of our DNA with chimps.  Chimps are not apes.

Wolfie

Technically, chimps are apes and so are we, for that matter. We're all part of the Hominidae family as are gorillas and orang-utans. And bonobos. Can't forget the horny bonobos.

The Hominidae (anglicized hominids, also known as great apes), as the term is used here, form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees (Pan), gorillas (Gorilla), humans (Homo), and orangutans (Pongo).

I used to love learning the classification (kingdom ... family, genus, species etc) of different plants and animals when I was a teenager. Yep, I was that geek in science class.

[Ann]

Some of the video footage in the second link provided by Ted was posted in the forums back when it first came out. The bit where the chimps stand on the threshold of the doorway of their hut and start hugging each other in joy over their new-found freedom never fails to bring tears to my eyes. It's so touching.

Most of the research done on animals today is unnecessary. I think that it should only be done when there is absolutely no possible alternative. I also think these animals should be permitted to retire after (say) twenty years of service - ten would be better. They should not be stock-piled until their death. That's just horrible.

That's not to say I'm not grateful for the advances in medicine that they have made possible. I am. They're heroes. It's humbling to know that chimps may be partly responsible for allowing me to be cured of hep C and I am forever in their debt.