Lab rats and mice ( Archived) (9)

I have recently returned from a trip to the US of A where I had the fortune to be shown the latest technology for stem cell research, where, by using laboratory animals these amazing scientists have discovered a way to possibly cure or at least slow down and stop Alzheimer's disease.

This is just the beginning of a new field in medicine, which, from what was explained to me could lead to not only eradicating disease but also find a cure to the number one killer of humans “Cancer”

How do you feel about:-
1 Stem cell research
2 using Laboratory animals to find these cures

1.Go
2.Lab animals have been subjected to much worse,including controlled torture just to see how they would react to it.Rats,unable to escape an near tetanizing shock will bite off their own feet.It's good to know that.

Not sure I fully understand your answer

go?? where??

These animals were bred specifically for this research, to determine whether the stem cell, when placed into the animal would stop the progress of a particular disease.

I think its kind of barbaric actually to breed life for the soul purpose of lab research...if people want this research, they want cures, they want medicine, shampoo, makeup and who knows what else then they should be prepared to go to the lab...enslaving animals for these purposes seems somehow backward? To me they are just like children...they dont understand whats happening or why they are caged and hurt, they're innocent and I wouldn't do that to a child so why would I do it to an animal? The thing is, if people do something with full knowledge and consent and all their faculties its all well and good but to impose it on something for needs which have absolutely no benefit to them personally? Just can't get my head around it...

Havin said that I must confess to being a hypocrite in this as I use medicine when necessary, various shampoo's and yes, even make up and if I thought my daughter could survive a terrible illness if I slaughtered 100 helpless animals I'd do it without a second thought...

Awareness is such a complicated thing...

1. Go for it.Do it.I cannot justify vivisection.It is a done for information gain.We say the greater good is worth it.
2 Lab animals are generally bred for albinism to ensure genetic consistency.They are still feeling creatures and their suffering is no less for having been produced for research subjects.Sympathy is greater for cats than mice and greater still for monkies but that is arbitrary.If you involve yourself in research you will inure to the pain you witness,or even cause.That is the scary part because you know such indifference can easily extend to humans.History bears this out.

I hate the idear of animals dieng for me. I however support the new technique of using skin cells from the potential recipricant of treatment. Doctors are now using skin cells to develop stem cells that will be used in their treatment. (ei no dead animals, no dead emprios and less chance of the body rejecting the treatment (being it is the patients DNA)).


Dennis ( stem cells have a place in curing many diseases, i however understand buisness and proffit ,,,, so we will see if polio will remain the last disease that was cured).

I have to agree with you on this one. I have used animals in vaccine production before the introduction of tissue culture, but have always found unnecessary cruelty intolerable .