COVID-19 Is an Unprecedented Tragedy; It Also Made Medical History
Written by Paula Clifford
Throughout 2020 and the initial weeks of 2021, we’ve all had an unwanted, front seat view of a deadly pandemic. But at the same time, we can’t ignore the fact that we’re also witnessing history-making medical achievements. Read more.
Chimpanzee sanctuaries are under fire. Can a new science-based tool improve ape welfare?
MORGANTON, GEORGIA—On a chilly morning in early October, primatologist Steve Ross drives up to a chain-link gate blocking a narrow dirt road in northern Georgia. He steps out of his car into a swath of the Blue Ridge Mountains and watches the cresting Sun illuminate low fog on the wooded hills. “When I went to Tanzania,” he says, thinking back on the first time he saw wild chimpanzees, “it was just like this.” Read more.
Letter: Animal research needed in developing virus vaccines
Regarding Tony Messenger’s column “Animal advocacy group targets dog experiments at St. Louis VA” (Oct. 30): There are several major flaws with the picture being painted by animal rights activists opposed to studies at the St. Louis Veterans Administration that benefit veterans and others. Furthermore, it’s disappointing that Messenger did not address these issues in his recent column. Read more.
Are there ethical ways to use animals in medical research?
This topic can get emotional: Should animals be used in medical research? Now recently I aired an interview that was critical of the Veterans Health Administration for its use of cats in research experiments related to the bodily functions of paraplegics. VHA did submit a rebuttal statement but the agency has not responded to requests for an interview. Read more.
UTHSC rebuffs lab animal watchdog; says it reported lapses
A watchdog group for the safety of laboratory animals says the University of Tennessee Health Science Center tolerates abuse, sending a signal that the cruelty results in “slap on the wrist” for researchers who go on to profit from their work. Read more.
Letter to the Editor: The VA’s Research in Animals.
It’s truly shameful when special interest groups try to trick Americans into supporting their causes by distorting reality and leaving out inconvenient truths. One such example is the recent letter to the editor from the animal rights lobbying group White Coat Waste Project. They say they’re fighting “wasteful spending” at the Department of Veterans Affairs. But if these lobbyists are successful, those injured while serving our country, along with many other American citizens in need, will be hurt. Read more.
Allegations Swirl Around The Care Of Chimpanzees At Project Chimps, As reported In Animal Wildlife Watch
Care provided to chimpanzees at Project Chimps, a sanctuary for chimpanzees located in Georgia, has come under fire by “[m]ore than 20 former staffers and volunteers,” as reported by Rachel Fobar in Animal Wildlife Watch on July 8, 2020. “Wildlife watch is an investigative reporting project between National Geographic Society and National Geographic Partners.” Read more.
Can a COVID-19 vaccine be made without using animals?
There is a central friction at work behind the scenes in developing a COVID-19 vaccine. To what extent are you willing to allow animals to be used in the research? Read more.
A Tragic But Important Reminder
Written by Paula Clifford
It’s sometimes easy to forget our species is under constant attack.
Our access to safe food supplies guards us against dangerous bacteria, viruses and parasites. Modern plumbing and sewage systems have relegated several diseases to rare threats. Then there are vaccines. Once common diseases like hepatitis are relatively rare and polio has nearly vanished thanks to vaccinations many of us received in the first few weeks of life. Read more.
Unleashing the Truth Behind Animal Testing
From 2016 to 2017, the number of animals used in medical and cosmetic research dropped from 820,812 to 792,168, according to the National Anti-Vivisection Society. Animal testing is a subject that can difficult to address, but you might consider it necessary if you want to have a place in the debate on this topic. Read more. SEE PAGE 32