*New evidence against animal experiments

New evidence against animal experiments

2 respected scientific journals have recently published disturbing new evidence demonstrating that:

1. Animal experiments are not generally useful in contributing toward advancements in human healthcare, or predictions of human toxicity; and, 2. Despite most closely modelling human beings, chimpanzee experiments have contributed minimally toward the development of cures for human diseases.

The evidence provided by these controversial new studies is strongly contrary to more traditional scientific opinion that animal experiments are essential during the development of cures for human diseases. Although opinions have been passionately expressed on both sides of the debate, hard evidence about the merits of animal experimentation for these purposes has generally been lacking, until now.

Study author, London-based veterinary scientist Andrew Knight said: "These combined results from thousands of animal experiments prove they rarely, if ever, contribute toward advances in human healthcare.

Furthermore, they do not reliably predict human toxicity. Continuing to rely on animal models in denial of scientific evidence of such strength risks human lives."

Knight A. Systematic reviews of animal experiments demonstrate poor human clinical and toxicological utility. ATLA: Alternatives to Laboratory Animals 2007;35(6):641-659. www.animalexperiments.info/studies/human_relevance_systematic_reviews_knight_2007.htm

2. Knight A. The poor contribution of chimpanzee experiments to biomedical progress. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 2007;10(4):281-308. www.leaonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888700701555501