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.

I think it’s bullshit when you say you love animals. You don’t.

When you love something you also respect it. Taking an animal and using it against its will and wishes is NOT love or respect

I also find half the posters on here shockingly hypocritical. An animal is an animal whether it’s a rat, primate or dog. They all feel pain and sadness.

It doesn’t matter what animal you use for testing, their dna is never, and will never, match humans and therefore the reactions can never be reliable enough.

Please, do your job if that’s what you want to do. But don’t come on here calling yourself an animal lover when you aren’t. You’re a pet lover - HUGE difference

It’s no different to people saying “I’m an animal lover” two hours after eating their chicken sandwich or their lump of steak. It’s bullshit.

I find this thread so distressing. Those poor poor animals. Shame on you

As someone pointed out earlier if your relative was ill and needed a certain drug to survive you would take it. Unfortunately drugs need to be tested to ensure their efficacy. This saves a lot of lives. Clearly you have not read the entire thread.

Thank you for an interesting thread OP. Like many others I am glad that if this work is done it is done by someone like you who like and cares for animals and doesn't just treat them like an object.

I have seen the argument about the value of a human life over that of any animal and of course i agree we have to put human life first, but I have always wondered what they limits of that would be. If a drug could only be tested on a large primate and the testing would result in the death of a hundred of them. The disease it was set to cure only resulted in the death of a relatively small number of human beings. Would that ratio be acceptable. We have many different pain killers available - is it acceptable to hurt and kill a few thousand more small mammals to enable a new one to come to market? I am not sure where I stand on that myself by the way. As a rather ridiculous animal lover who also suffers from depression and asthma and has a father with Parkinsons I run the risk of hypocrisy of course.

People don’t take drugs tested on animals to survive. Often for a headache or a bit of an itch. All drugs and medicines are tested on animals.
You may not be happy to eat a steak but you most certainly will be using drugs at some point and these will be extensively tested on animals.

Op is it true that by law all medicine for human use must be tested on animals first?

No question from me.

I work in clinical trials (human, pregnant ones) & want to thank the OP and her colleagues for the wonderful work they do.

Your work saves lives.

Thank you.