Animal Rights and Wrongs: an Ethical View of Animal Experimentation from Graham Mitchell
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INSTITUTE FOR SCIENTIFIC lWFORMATION@ 3501 MARKET ST PHILADELPHIA PA 19104 Animal Rights and Wrongs: An Ethical View of Animal Experimentation from Graham Mitchell Number 15 ADrii 9, 199( The use of animals in research continues to be a divisive issue for the animal-rights movement and the biomedical community. Animal-rights activists are adept at working with the media and in politics to advance their viewpoint. Although researchers have begun to explain their position, there remains a strong nt%d to publicize the human benefit derived from animal experimentation. The primary need, however, is for more open communication between both sides of the debate. In an article reprinted from the Sourh Ajican Journal oj Science, Graham Mitchell, professor of physiology, University of Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, SoUtb Africa, presents a balanced view of the ethicaf aspects of this complex issue. The perpetuafbattle over the rights of an- on the surviving monkeys, but the issue re- imals is stronger and more emotional than mains unsettled. ever. Animal-rights advocates have not wa- The animal-rights controversy is not new vered in their quest to reduce and, in some to Curreru [email protected] In 1977 I re- cases, totally eliminate animaf experimen- sponded directly to a Science reporter who tation. On the other side of the issue, bio- used Science Cit&’on Indd data to’ ‘assess medical researchers have begun to become the impact” of Lester R. Aronson’s research more active in promoting the role that ani- on cats at the American Museum of Natural maf research plays in the advancement of History, New York.3 Aronson’s research medical research and practice. involved the removal of glands, nerves, and Readers may recall the 1981 case of the tissues in order to study animal sexual be- “Silver Spring monkeys, ” which became havior. Animal-rights activists claimed that a symbolic rallying point for the animal- Aronson was cmelly abusing the animals for rights movement. Edward Taub, a research- research that had’ ‘no value, ” and eventual- er at the Institute for Behavioral Research, ly the museum was pressured to abandon the Silver Spring, Maryland, was charged and research. 4 Our citation analysis showtxl that convicted of animaf cruelty. Afthough the Aronson’s work was reasonably well cited conviction was later dropped on a technicali- in his field and, by this measure at least, had ty, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) some “value.” withdrew its grant and retained custody of Recently, a researcher’s laboratory at the the monkeys. Recently, People for the Eth- School of Veterinary Medicine, University ical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a radical of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, was burglar- animal-rights organization, secured a tem- ized.s Adrian Morrison, a professor of porary restraining order to prevent eutha- anatomy who uses cats to study sleep-depriv- nasia. After the order was lifted, researchers ation, is a vwal supporter of animaf models experimented on and subsequently eutha- in biomedical research. His research is be- nized one of the monkeys. I NIH scientists lieved to have led to the identification of the say the research performed on the ‘6Sifver human rapid eye movement sleep behavioral Spring monkey” could help humans who disorder and to have implications for the suffer from nerve injuries. PETA intends to treatment of seizures and diseases such as return to court to prevent experimentation epilepsy. 6 Animal-rights activists have ac- 114 cused Morrison of using improper anesthe- Drug Abuse, and Mentid Health Adminis- sia and have said that his research is not ben- tration within the Department of Health and eficial to humans. The Animal Liberation Human Services, discussed the issue, Be- Front (ALF) claimed responsibility for the lieving that the passive approach taken by break-in, while a spokeswoman for PETA the scientific community has fostered the said that the action should “be taken as a growth of the animal-rights movement, he mild warning.”3 This is an example of the urges clinical researchers to publicize ex- terrorist tactics used by some extremists in amples of the human benefit of their animal the animal-rights movement to intimidate re- research. searchers and the public through brute force, Goodwin also feels that scientists are rather than to persuade them through ratio- time-pressured by their research responsi- nal debate. bilities and fmd it difficult to meet the public This is not to say that all animrd-rights ad- challenges of the animal-rights movement. vocates are extremists. Most work within the He proposes incentives for getting involved system and are both politically aware and in defending and promoting animal experi- media savvy. For example, Trans-Species mentation—national awards, scientific fel- Unlimited (TSU) was instrumental in pres- lowships, and so on. 10Scientists could then suring Michiko Okarnoto, professor of phar- make a contribution to the animal-rights macology, Cornell Medical College, New cause without derailing their career advance- York, to terminate 14 years of research on ment. This idea has merit and deserves se- barbiturate addiction using cats.T They rious consideration by professional sccieties picketed the laboratory, passed out litera- and private foundations. ture, got Congress involved, sent letters, and The main organization speaking for bio- made phone calls. Finally, in September medical researchers tcday is the National 1988, Okamoto gave up her $600,000 Association for Biomedical Research federal grant from the National Institute on (NABR), formed by the 1984 merger of tie Drug Abuse. Association for Biomedical Research (orga- Animal-rights groups have not only be- nized in 1979) and the National Society for come much more influential, but have Medical Research (1945). NABR tries to ed- grown considerably in number. These ucate the public and legislators on the sci- groups range from radical to moderate in entific and societal value of animal research their approach to the animal-rights cause. and lobbies against bills that would restrict Radical groups, such as PETA, TSU, and or ban animal research.g Other organiza- the International Society for Animal tions are also speaking out in favor of us- Rights4 are most often in the news. ALF, ing animals in research. Patients who have in particular, openly supports violence and profited from animal research are forming destruction and has been identified by coalition groups like the Incurably Ill for An- Scotland Yard as an international terrorist imal Research (iiFAR) in Bridgeview, Illi- group. 8 These uncompromising groups in- nois. 1I While this is a positive sign, more tend to stop animal research altogether, im- needs to be done to explain the human cost mediately and at any cost. More moderate of limiting animal research. groups, such as the American Society for NABR points out that medical research is the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals slready being affected by restrictions on an- (ASPCA), the Animal Welfare Institute, rhe imal use. Compliance with amendments to Humane Society, and Animal Rights Inter- the Animal Welfare Act of 1966, passed in national, are not primarily concerned with 1985, and new US Department of Agricul- quick and drastic bans on animal experiment- ture rules will cost an estimated $2 bil- ation. They simply want to ensure humane lion. 12Medical costs are sure to rise as a treatment of anirnals.4 result. And worse, work on life-saving and The biomedical community itself is not life-enhancing medical research may be without vocal advocates of its position. In impeded. a recent article in fie Scientist”,9 Freder- The fact is that animal research has been ick K. Goodwin, who directs the Alcohol, vital to breakthroughs in cancer, mental ill- 115 ness, and heart disease.7 According to a re- placed by alternative methods in the near fu- cent iiFAR report, using animals in research ture. has enabled scientists to develop antibiotics to fight infections and to discover insulin to Graham Mitchell: A Brief CV control diabetes; to raise the cure rate for children with acute lymphocytic leukemia In the following article reprint, Graham from 4 percent in 1965 to 70 percent in Mitchell, professor of physiology, Ursiver- 1988; and to develop immunizations against sity of Witwatersrand Medical School, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, and polio. 11 Johamesburg, South Africa, discusses the Work with dogs and other animals has led ethical aspects of the animal-rights issue. to open-heart surgery, the cardiac pace- Born in 1944, Mitchell possesses a strong maker, and organ transplantation. And, in background in veterinary science. 15 In the monumental fight against AIDS, the use 1971 he became a registered veterinary sur- of appropriate animrd models is critical to geon and is currently a member of the South the development of vaccines and thera- African Veterinary Association, the Royal pies. 13 College of Veterinary Surgeons, the British The scientific community has shown its Veterinary Association, the Physiological willingness and initiative to change. Recent- Society of South Africa, and the Zoological ly, two international drug and cosmetics Society of Southern Africa. In 1972 Mitchell firms, Avon Products Inc. and Revlon Inc., began lecturing at the University of Wit- announced that they would no longer use the watersrand MedicaJ School, where he pres- controversial lethal dose 50 and Draize ently serves as Ad Hominem Professor of tests.g Colgate-Palmolive has developed a Physiology and honorary professor of med- test to screen new substances on egg mem- ical education. He is also chairman of the branes, and Noxell Corporation has decided Animal Ethics Committee. to test new cosmetics on mouse-tissue cul- Mitchell describes two highly divergent ture.4 views of the use of animals in research: that According to a recent article in the Econ- animals are to be considered instruments omist, 14 the number of laboratory animals with their lives having no moral si@~crmce used in the US and the UK has halved since and that animals, like humans, do indeed its peak in the mid-1970s.