How can we treat the experiments with living animals?
...the one or two cases that have come to light12 in which animals have been maltreated. Scientists conduct13 research on animals, such as rodents14, rabbits, fish and amphibians15, because experiments with the whole organism16 can tell them more than alternative methods. Someone testing a drug on cells in a tissue culture17 cannot predict18 whether this substance19 will be broken down20 in a whole-body environment into something else that may affect the body, whether for good or bad. Researches on animals can also reveal21 that some people may be more responsive22 than others to a particular drug. The whole organism is a very complex mechanism with immune23 responses and a functioning24 brain, and this is something that has to be taken into account25 when we treat a person with a drug. The House of Lords Select Committee report on the use of animals in medical procedures26 concluded27 that it is morally28 acceptable for human beings to use other animals, but that it is morally wrong to cause them unnecessary or avoidable suffering29. This is a position I fully agree with. We have to protect those working with animals from the terrorism30 of animal extremists31, allowing32 them to carry out their endeavours33 without the fear that they or their families will be harassed34.However, we also have to recognise that alternative approaches to these problems are bearing fruit35. The Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments, or FRAME, has done excellent work in this area over many years. We need to reduce the number of animals used in experiments, refine the procedures to minimise36 the suffering of the animals and replace procedures involving animals with alterna...