Research gives me and many more Hope!

An interesting article on how animal research will help against the zika virus. You know transmitted via mosquitos as is the case for other diseases such as ebola or malaria. Animal research is much decried, rarely appreciated for what it does and mostly largely misunderstood by the general public.
That however does not mean it is useless, cruel or inadequate. You know when some say it, the type of research or results thereof, doesn't translate into human research or isn't applicable in humans they say it has no value. That is a wrong statement for through research we have learned about a disease, a virus or a physiological process or system.  That by itself is worth the endeavor. For some Hope is the only thing left in their fight for life! Let us not take that away too!

Now there is more going on behind the scene. Take a look at this 2008 article by Professor Colin Blakemore who teaches neuroscience at Oxford and Warwick Universities and is the former head of the UK's Medical Research Council. His conclusion speaks for itself: if we are to have any hope of treating such conditions (Alzheimer's, Multiple sclerosis,paralysis and schizophrenia), medical research needs every tool at its disposal. For everyone's sake, that must include animals. Today in 2016 this statement is as valid as it was when the article was written  and it shall remain so for the foreseeable future.
And as he did point out in the article those who oppose the use of animals in research are free to opt out from being dispensed drugs or treatments developed with the use of animals. Although I must say most of us, if vaccinated, have already been saved by animal research! Or as Lord Drayson has said it is time for us the public to ask ourselves the tough question about animal research Do I want those life saving medicines to be available to me, my family and friends? If yes then this research must continue to take place.

Another good read is this message by Hollis Cline President of the US Society for Neuroscience who reminds us the importance of basic research - such as in animal use research- in the drug development process. The eureka moment for drug development starts with a discovery in a lab. But basic research is also curiosity driven and therefore is able to produce unexpected results or greater understanding of biological processes. She warns that without a rich investment in basic research the drug development pipeline starves off.   I fully support her when she says that to accomplish the mission of improving human health we need to find the optimal balance of basic and translational research in the drug development pipeline and that means valuing and understanding every step in the process.
One of these crucial steps is animal testing let us not forget. Let us also take the time to understand its value and let us support it publicly. We all get to benefit from a healthy and well funded drug development pipeline.

I am not here to tell you what you should eat, wear, be sensitive about or not but as a father to two healthy kids and as a brother to a mentally handicapped child, let me tell you that in the light of the above hope I was referring to, it is by far not an exercise in futility to conduct animal research. It is a lifeline for many of us, who after years of giving care or of getting care have not given up the hope to one day see their loved ones, be they family, friends or total strangers cured from disease, disorder or affliction that has changed our and their lives forever. If that means conducting research on animals in an otherwise very regulated manner then you have my public support until the day it is no longer required. So let's make 2016 the year of public support to animal research. There are millions of us out there waiting for cures, a silent majority but not an immune one to the damages done by those opposing animal research. We have our voice and we will use it against you. Oh and if you happen to agree with me, please share this!

Sitting on the fence

In reading my previous posts you may well wonder why I insist so much on the issue of non human primates and their use in animal research when it is a fact that rodents such as rats and mice represent the majority of animals used. Is it because I feel it is being used as a wedge issue? Is it because once the use of monkeys has been prevented other species may follow? Or is it because sitting on the fence is not comfortable and thus one draws conclusions and decide which side of the fence to be on?

Source:understanding animal research 

Perhaps indeed there is some of that but in my opinion there just is no fence. There is research because there are questions. There are questions because there is illness, disease, disorder, pain and death. There are so many of us that are working day in day out to find the answers we are looking for. These very answers benefit both humans and animals. We can not afford to let these people down, nor can we afford as a society to let those that are affected down. No one owns compassion, ethics or morals but they are being used to create the fence. All have to sit on the fence, it helps for making contributions.

It is a blessing that most of us look upon rats and mice with disgust, perhaps because of their past plague spreading reputation. They sure contribute to medical advancement now and there are plenty of articles that show how lives have been saved or medical advancement achieved. Take the case of some form of leukemia that had a 70% likelihood of causing mortality in affected children 25 years ago. Now 80 percent of the children have a chance of surviving. These aren't my numbers, nor is it my work.
As usual you can read the information here on the University of British Columbia web site.
Thank you for your commitment, your work and your achievements UBC, we Owe you!

Source: understanding animal research

Now look at demographics. Our societies are getting older, life span expectancy has increased dramatically over the last few centuries. Diseases and quality of life will be different in a few decades from now. Lots of people to nourish, cure or keep healthy! Unexplored territories and certainly different realities from what they are now. I don't know if we can prematurely age rodents to have relevant models as it is done with obese mice but surely we need to look ahead.

Should you live to a hundred years, you'd want this to be in as healthy a condition as possible. Perhaps even without strokes, rheumatism or arthritis. A degenerative disease may call for the need of replacement. Replacement first has to be tested in living species, as has the donor acceptance/rejection mechanism. PS; for paralysis see previous posts.

Could it be that our close relative the monkey holds some of the answers we will be looking for? We may not like it but it helps keeping the options available. Hate to think that we have thrown out the water with the baby or are thinking of it. So do the fallen ones I guess. Just ask those that survived and remember to be pragmatic: there is no fence.

Making our world a better place through research

If you were to visit the web page of the Tulane National Primate Research Center you would see this (title) statement right at the top. A bit further down one can find the resources the center maintains and more specifically the nonhuman primates required in research. The management of the nonhuman primates is done by the veterinary medicine division. There are nine species in the center which totals to approximatively five thousand nonhuman primates to take care of.  The nonhuman primates are used in research towards finding a vaccine, cure or treatment to diseases such as for example AIDS/HIV, Leukemia or Malaria to name a few.

The above is just one example of a research center using nonhuman primates. Actually as a research model, nonhuman primates are also used in other areas of scientific research. Take a look at this page and follow the links. 

On the other hand some find macaques to be a nuisance and would rather eradicate them from their ecosystems since they are an invasive species.  Take a look at page seven of this report (attached) dated March 14-15, 2012. Here's an excerpt:

Feasibility Study for Macaque Monkey Eradication Project Successfully Complete

With funding from the CEPF, Invasive Species International conducted a feasibility study in Palau in September-October 2011, to assess the feasibility of complete removal of invasive macaque monkeys from Palau, especially the heavily infested island of Anguar. The study concluded that eradication will be possible, but that it will be difficult and expensive.

The study report estimates that it will take 3-4 years to complete the eradication, at a cost of 1.5 to 2 million dollars. Source: here.

So between those that need the resource, those that are challenged when transporting them and those that want to get rid of macaques, a balanced approach is needed. If at all feasible, why not use these macaques for research instead of the proposed eradication? In addition they could also be used for repopulating areas where the species are endemic but deemed vulnerable or endangered. Perhaps my contacts in the zoo and aquarium world are interested in helping out, who knows? That would make the world a better place through research and conservation.