Opposition From Vested Interests...Why Vivisection Continues
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

Ray Greek, MD, Americans For Medical Advancement (AFMA)
March 2011

The bottom line is that simply too many individuals benefit from the status quo and hence no one wants to rock the boat. We realize this sounds cynical but the facts are the facts.

There is a wealth of scientific evidence and supporting theory verifying the inefficacy of the practice of using animals as predictive models in drug and disease response. Yet the practice continues. Why? The reasons are many and varied, and they have little if anything to do with science.

The animal-based research engine is fueled by the same forces of human nature that have harmed people since the dawn of time: ignorance, greed, ego, self-preservation and fear. Add to that inertia and blind obedience to the system, and you have the perfect formula for keeping this multi-billion-dollar industry thriving. Consider:

Many scientists have been experimenting on animals for years and have published the results in hundreds of articles in professional journals, much to their career and financial success. To them, the system isn’t broken. Why fix it?

Add to that the huge and highly profitable business that has been built around animal-based research. Animal breeders as well as suppliers of cages and instruments designed specifically for use in animal studies depend on the practice of animal-based research for their continued growth and profitability.

The U.S. government also plays a role in maintaining the status quo by mandating animal testing as a way to determine the safety and effectiveness of pharmaceutical drugs. The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, passed in 1938, and other such legislation requires proof of the scientific safety of new pharmaceutical drugs and a number of chemical compounds that change the chemistry of the body before they can be marketed.

The bottom line is that simply too many individuals benefit from the status quo and hence no one wants to rock the boat. We realize this sounds cynical but the facts are the facts. We invite you to study the subject and come to your own conclusions.

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