I work with animals in medical research. AMA

[wokeupinnewyork]

Name changed for this, mainly to keep it separate from my usual name in case it gets nasty as this topic occasionally can.

I've worked with animals in research labs in both research and pharmaceutical settings for 6 years. My job is still controversial and secretive, despite attempts to change this, and people I tell always seem to be curious and have lots of questions. I'm happy to answer anything.

What type of animals do you work with?

Do you ever feel any guilt?

I currently work with mice but have also worked with rats and chickens in the past.

I'm not sure if guilt is the right word for what I feel. There's obviously aspects of the job that are emotionally hard. I try to keep my head in the frame that it's a necessary evil. The work being carried out can save lives in the future.

Yes of course, I didn't mean it to sound as if I was judging. I agree that it's a necessary evil.

Great idea for an AMA, OP.

Are you doing more research on human cells now, do you look forward to the day when no animals will be used for research.

How much of a threat do animal rights activists pose to your work, and to you and your colleagues? Do they have any effect on what you do and how you do it?

Do you think we will advance technologically beyond testing things on animals any time soon? If so, when do you think this will be?

Is there any amount of suffering that you consider too extreme to inflict on an animal? Or does anything go?

Is it for GSK?

I've known a few people who work in this area and all of them have been very respectful towards the animals they use.

Have you ever been targeted by Animal Rights Activists?
What do you think about carrying out procedures on large primates (I think this is less than 1% of all procedures?) And do you have any views on xenotransplantation _ I think that's the correct word?

No worries, didn't take it as judgy at all. It's a tough emotion to describe.

I hoped this AMA might help answer some questions and controversies. Hopefully it might help people understand that a lot of what's seen on social media is very detached from the truth.

Whenever human cells can be used, they are. We follow a set of rules called the 3R's; Reduction, Refinement and Replacement. Reduction is to use the smallest number of animals possible, refinement is to use the most minimally invasive and harmful techniques and replacement is to use alternatives wherever possible. All projects go through the home office and a Ethics Committee before being allowed to happen. Unfortunately there's still a lot of work that needs a whole body to understand how it works. Immunology for example needs to see the whole immune system working as a whole which can't be replicated yet. I would love to see an alternative used though of course. If someone could invent a computer model that mimics a body completely, please hurry! Not sure what that would mean for my job though...

No primates ever, I hope. :(

I don't feel too sorry for mice.

Do the animals get any opportunity to have a normal life? Toys, space, fresh air, a mate? To retire? Or is this not possible?

Animal rights activists don't pose as much of a physical threat the way they used to, extreme ones I mean. There are still marches and protests but the numbers seem to be dwindling. It's tough knowing there's people out there that would spit on me for what I do. Especially when I consider myself an animal lover, my history before starting this career was animal courses and lots of volunteering, as is most of my colleagues.

Do you like animals? Do you keep any pets? Not sure I could do your job at all, I am a struggling vegetarian and feel bad when I dream of spicy chicken wings!

There's no doubt it has helped with medical breakthrough but I think animal research is frowned upon now by more people. It is unkind on the animals, they have no choice, why can't human volunteers be used instead who know the risks. You don't do things like shocks, cigarette smoke, poisons do you.

What happens to the animals after the trial is over?

No, there's no debate. You are.

Are you testing (I really don’t care for the euphemism ‘working with animals’) drugs or toiletries?

Birnamwood - if they are not killed by the procedure, they are killed afterwards.

Every six seconds an animal dies in a British laboratory.

Woke, you have jumped the shark already! You consider yourself an animal lover...yet you conduct hideous, painful experiments on them?

Now I am an animal lover - I am a vegan of forty years so no animal in MY NAME has been hurt in any way! I don't take meds of any kind.

Don't you dare put yourself alongside me.

Do you kill the animals yourself after completing tests (if they don’t die as a result of the test), or does someone else do that?