From the American Anti-Vivisection Society
www.aavs.org
Animals are used as models for research into human
diseases, injuries, psychology, and medical treatments. In biomedical
research, scientists attempt to circumvent the natural differences between
humans and other animals by unnaturally infecting them with human- specific
diseases with the hope that they will suffer in the same way a human would.
The fact that scientists have to induce or create disease in other animals
indicates that animal models are neither appropriate nor applicable in
studying human disease or other ailments.
In developing new genetic engineering technologies,
biomedical researchers acknowledge common occurrences of increased
suffering, high death rates, and other negative health consequences for the
millions of animals used. Tens of thousands of animals, such as pigs and
non-human primates, have been killed to try to produce cells, organs, and
tissues for transplantation into humans (xenotransplantation).
In addition, animals utilized in other types of
research also suffer tremendous physical and mental anguish as they are
intentionally burned or injured (e.g. severed spinal cord, brain trauma),
used as models of abused children (e.g. maternal deprivation), or forced to
become addicted to drugs or alcohol.
AAVS believes that animals have the right to not be
exploited for science.
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