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Original poster

I work with animals in medical research. AMA

182 replies

wokeupinnewyork · 20/07/2018 20:55

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.

OP posts:
LastGirlOnTheLeft · 20/07/2018 22:59

Isadora, come on now! You use a typo to prove some point? I thought you were smarter than that. Ah well.

Look, as I said before, we should be conducting experiments on HUMANS! If YOU are all for experiment, why don't YOU volunteer? Or is it because you know it will be painful beyond words?

If you think experiments are ok, then YOU do it! What do you say, isadora?

Itneedstobedone · 20/07/2018 23:00

Really? People want all early stage research to be done in humans? Where do you realistically propose that those humans are sources from? Breeding colonies? Selection of those not deemed to be contributing to society? It sounds very Third Reich to me.

Molecules can be screened, but until it goes into a mammal, it is not always possible to know what the effect will be. Can't see many people being willing to sign up for high throughput screening.

Urbanbeetler · 20/07/2018 23:01

I dont think that we could have so radically changed the use of animals in research without the activists who fought for them. The tight regulations you work under mean that animal suffering is minimised.

I am forever grateful for the work done which saved several members of my family. But also for the people who campaigned to stop cosmetics from being tested on animals in the cruelest ways possible.

Hopefully one day it will be totally unnecessary to use animals at all but in the meantime, I’m glad the regulations are strictly adhered to in laboratories and that people are prepared to keep working to save lives.

Original poster
wokeupinnewyork · 20/07/2018 23:02

Birnam, generally the animals are killed humanely, especially if they're genetically modified. If they aren't and no licenced procedures that could cause any long lasting harm have been performed on them they can be adopted out. Very often by their carers.

RiverTam, cosmetic testing is illegal in the UK, has been for a long time now. I've worked with the production of drugs, oncology mainly but vaccinations too. But am currently back with a university in research.

OP posts:
LastGirlOnTheLeft · 20/07/2018 23:04

Gary, I understand that people need meds. But I DO NOT UNDERSTAND why these are tested on animals and not humans! Let people do this and get paid for it. To do it to animals is abusive!

Who gave us the right to do that? To say we are better than animals so let's just abuse them?

DumbledoresApprentice · 20/07/2018 23:05

I can’t believe that anyone thinks it is ethically better to test drugs on humans without animal tests first? Who would these humans be? Inevitably the poor and desperate. FIH trials would inevitably be far more risky without animal testing. Who would volunteer for them if they didn’t really need the money. How is exploiting poor human beings morally preferable to animal testing?
Thank you for the work you do OP. There are illnesses in my family that mean that some my family members don’t have the luxury of abstaining from medication if they want to survive. Work done by people like you has kept them alive.

titchy · 20/07/2018 23:06

Because you'd need 3 times the entire population of the planet just for the basic trials you muppet. You gonna put your kids up to receive something no animal has ever ever had?

Original poster
wokeupinnewyork · 20/07/2018 23:07

Lastgirl I admire you for that. I haven't had the motivation to go vegan, and whilst I definitely love animals, I fully see how my love is different to yours. My view is that these animals will be used in spite of me working with them or not, I'd rather ensure they're cared for by someone who cares. Neither of us are going to change each others views on this matter so I see no reason to try.

Oscha yes I kill the animals myself.

OP posts:
titchy · 20/07/2018 23:08

Good for you OP. Thank you genuinely.

ErrolTheDragon · 20/07/2018 23:09

If someone could invent a computer model that mimics a body completely, please hurry!
Computer modelling can help with some of the first R (reduction) - better prediction of possible therapeutics, methods for understanding some mechanisms....but even modelling one antibody is stretching the limits of what we can currently do. Do you think many people have the faintest notion how complicated it is?

Original poster
wokeupinnewyork · 20/07/2018 23:10

Sorry everyone I didn't expect this to get so busy. I need to get to bed now as the baby will no doubt be awake soon. I've bookmarked the last question I replied to and will try and get to the rest in the morning.

Please don't think I take any enjoyment in what I do.

OP posts:
Whipsmart · 20/07/2018 23:10

Thank you for this interesting topic OP.

Not to derail, but all the people talking about experimenting on humans, you know this happens too, right? You can volunteer for medical trials where they will test a new drug in you to monitor the reactions. Literally every drug available in a pharmacy will have been tested on animals and then humans.

AlisonCHaynes · 20/07/2018 23:11

Or may be we could carry out the research on criminals? That will teach them!

The old stats I can remember is about 1 million procedures a year, mainly on small rodents. A quick search shows that in the UK over 2 million chickens are killed for meat each day. Yet to see crowds protesting outside kfc. (I'm vegetarian but totally understand the necessity for animal testing).

LastGirlOnTheLeft · 20/07/2018 23:11

Thank you OP!! I think some people find it hard to understand my passion for animals and I do get that...I KNOW I'm lucky to not need meds the way a lot of people have. But I can't switch off my compassion for them.

Anyway, night all!!👋

TheGoldenWolfFleece · 20/07/2018 23:12

That's interesting that the animals can sometimes be adopted out. When i was at school we had a rep from a company who did animal testing in order to spark a debate. From what I remember of that they said that the animals were destroyed at the end of the each trial. I was one of the ones who went into the debate thinking that there was never any justification whatsoever for animal testing and its cruel etc. However when they showed us the list of diseases that cures and treatments have been found for, because of animal testing, it does raise an important moral point. I think suggesting that the rights of mice outweigh the rights of humans go out of the window when it's your relative or you that needs treatment. I also think that animals rights activists have probably been overall a force for good in helping to ensure that the animals in question are treated as well as possible and that there are safeguards in place that are only used when absolutely necessary as the Op has described.

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any realistic alternative to certain types of animal testing. A relative of mine has a devastating life long, and life limiting condition and animal testing is helping to make great inroads into finding a cure for this disease.

I am also curious to know if you have been a part of any major discoveries through your work. And also what your thoughts are on testing on animals for cosmetic purposes?

SPOFS · 20/07/2018 23:18

Do you believe in karma?

SPOFS · 20/07/2018 23:20

Also, I have no idea why people are giving the OP sympathy. They don't deserve it. I hope that the OP does feel bad about their self.

HoleyCoMoley · 20/07/2018 23:21

Whip, I think the difference is that humans volunteer and consent, animals don't have a choice. I don't like seeing things like pics of growing a human ear on a mouse, what's the point. If I had no ears I would rather have a synthetic one or have one grown out of my own skin cells.

AlbaChick · 20/07/2018 23:23

Are experiments and tests duplicated across various sites? I think it would be a good idea to test in humans rather than animals as physiology is similar but different. May be an urban legend, but I’d heard that if paracetamol or aspirin had been tested on cats it wouldn’t be on the shelves now as it’s lethal to cats. I am not comfortable with animal testing but I certainly don’t condone abuse or violence towards those that work in animal experimenting. I’m going to Prof Google to find out a bit more on the subject.

ILoveHumanity · 20/07/2018 23:25

Well done OP. I worked in oncology too and worked with animals as much as I tried to avoid it.

I have seen the amount of effort put to minimise the use of animals, and the amount of analysis done to justify how the benefits outweigh the harm. I tried avoiding working with animals for so long until there was no way around it and then when faced with it I came to realise it is not as cruel as I thought and no one was just killing those animals in cold blood.. everyone knew how hard it is and everyone knew that it is only done for the greater good.

See them as soldiers who have been sent on a mission towards a medical breakthrough.. which could also benefit the animal kingdom for the record.

It I should very very hard though.

Nice thread

As for those saying use humans instead.. some of the research involves extracting organs and killing the animal after a procedure been done.. how do you suggest this happen on a human. You clearly don’t have a clue

GaryBarlowsTaxReturn · 20/07/2018 23:26

SPOFS I'm thinking maybe you don't understand Karma. OP is working to cure disease. I'm pretty sure that's putting in work for the greater good.

titchy · 20/07/2018 23:28

Do you believe in karma?

Do you? Presumably if you do you'll be refusing Chemo when you get cancer?

SPOFS · 20/07/2018 23:29

If it is for the greater good then why don't we simply test on humans?

And yes, I do understand karma, not that I believe in it. However, I will add that everyone I know who has directly abused an animal has had karma bite me on the arse one way or another.

titchy · 20/07/2018 23:30

which could also benefit the animal kingdom for the record.

Lol - that's conveniently ignored by the naysayers! Any of you ever refused your pet treatment? Thought not...

Ollivander84 · 20/07/2018 23:32

There's no other way really is there? I mean I support not animal testing on cosmetics but medical stuff...
the drug I take I imagine was tested on animals and I'm grateful it's available. It's not ethical to test on humans, what's the other option? It doesn't mean I like it as such but it's necessary

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