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Original poster

I work with animals in medical research. AMA

188 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:
Chippyway · 31/07/2018 11:41

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.

Wheretheresawill1 · 31/07/2018 14:01

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

fantasmasgoria1 · 31/07/2018 14:17

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.

IrianOfW · 31/07/2018 14:20

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.

Biologifemini · 31/07/2018 14:24

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.

Heatherjayne1972 · 31/07/2018 21:23

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

AgathaMystery · 31/07/2018 22:28

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.

Frankie5678 · 04/05/2026 23:23

wokeupinnewyork · 20/07/2018 22:52

I'm sorry you feel that way owl. I'm well aware they feel fear and pain and we do as much as we can to minimise that as much as possible. I just have to remind myself every day how much good this is doing in the long run. So many advancements are being made every day because of work with animals.

Sorry, xenotransplantation! I haven't really come across it too much. So I don't really feel I can say much without risk of making a mistake.

But it’s not doing good. Animal testing is hugely flawed and new technologies mean that it should be obsolete. How you call yourself an animal lover is beyond comprehension.

GCScot · 07/05/2026 10:58

TiredPony · 21/07/2018 00:22

I don't want to get involved in the ethics of this debate but for those who have suggested trials on humans - this does happen after successful animal testing. Does anyone remember the clinical trials at Northwick Park? That was after animal testing, can you imagine if there wasn't animal testing - it would be far more common place. And who would volunteer? You can't just say "test them on criminals" that's not how it works, it would have to be on a voluntary basis and I am sure only the poor and vulnerable would be exploited.
Anyway, my point is that they are tested on humans after animal trials. My beloved late mum was part of the trials for Tamoxifen. She had terminal breast cancer and was offered Tamoxifen as part of the trials on humans as there was no other treatment. She had been given 6 months to live. She lived for 8 years.

@TiredPony , as someone who has had breast cancer and is currently on hormone therapy similar to Tamoxifen I am very grateful for people like your mother. Breast cancer treatment has come a long way and survival rates have hugely increased in the last few decades largely due to brave women agreeing to take new drugs

Carlie97 · 18/05/2026 14:54

wokeupinnewyork · 20/07/2018 22:49

Sorry Alison I missed the second part of your question. I've never really had much to do with primate use, I think I'd struggle with it to be honest. I know people that have done it and they love working with them. It seems to be mostly behavioural work now so generally very minimal suffering. And their carers love them so much. One of them actually ended up getting a licence to keep some of them as 'pets' once a study was finished.

But what about the habitat they live in? They're not really experiencing minimal suffering if they don't have toys or cuddles or live with a family? Their sole purpose on this earth is to suffer in the name of science and that's really abhorrent.

Carlie97 · 18/05/2026 15:20

Whatdoiladymcbeth · 20/07/2018 23:46

I find it really hard that people are minimising the pain felt by animals in testing for the simple reason that they are ‘rodents’. We are in real danger of only protecting what’s cute.

Every creature is as important as the next.

Carlie97 · 18/05/2026 15:23

wokeupinnewyork · 21/07/2018 08:18

Boglin honestly I think more needs to be done in that area. I'm planning on trying to encourage it at some point but it's tough when we still feel the need to be so secretive. Those in charge of the institutions etc were doing this job when the animal rights activism was very extreme. There's a fear behind talking about what we do. I personally don't think it's very good for us newer to the role and would love to see more established systems in place keeping us linked. There is unestablished care though. I worked with someone a few years ago that one morning decided she couldn't kill mice anymore. She was so worried she'd have to quit her job etc but management were very understanding and were happy for her to continue to care for them without doing any end of life. She would still do it if there was a health concern that was causing immediate suffering (open fight wounds for example) but anything else she would call her supervisor for.

Bears, on a project licence there is a section to try and use a single animal for repeated studies where possible. Sometimes they can be moved to other project licences too. In research however the animals tend to be genetically modified to have or not have a specific gene which might affect different work. Also some procedures are carried out under non recovery anaesthetic. This is for things that would cause too much suffering for the animal once they were awake.

It's disgusting. What a waste of a life.

LateDecember · 18/05/2026 15:49

Rather not. I quit pursuing my degree in neuroscience because I don't want to participate in animal torture. Can't say anything constructive or nice except I do wonder how you sleep at night.

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