Don't be misguided! Support animal research.

Please don't be misguided, do try to understand why we as a society continue to invest in and support animal research. I do so on a regular basis for not only do I learn about new techniques, discoveries or advances but also it allows me to distinguish between facts put forward by the scientific community and the fiction animal extremists put forward.

I do want to point out that I am not remunerated to do so by anyone. My motivation is based on a need to know and the exposure to animal research at a certain point in my career. By now, for those of you who have followed me here on the blog or on twitter, this means roughly +20K tweets on the subject and almost 40000 views on my blog. Enough clues to make the point.


I insist though that you as a member of the public must understand why, when and where there is animal research. I do hope that my tweets and the links or articles they contain or point to, enable you to make up your mind or at least educate you about the subject. I do not condemn people for making certain dietary food choices but do point to those who try to stop animal research by all means necessary. In 2015 an animal rights activist, as a result of prosecution under AETA, has been condemned to prison. Read about it here. It is sad that things had to come to this but it is just; the uncompromising views and actions of these individuals result in an expected sentence: guilty as charged. This trail to jail had been announced a long time ago. Misguided , ill advised and radicalized, sounds familiar? Animal extremists cause too much damage, not just to researchers and institutions but also to animal conservation (ebola -great apes) and to those patients that are anxiously awaiting medical progress. It is not a broken record but a reality and a necessity. Unless of course animals must be born free!

From experience I know most of you now expect me to post a link to a science based article, so I will kindly oblige and refer you to Hollis Cline and Mar Sanchez as to the reasons why animal research is necessary. Dont just take my word for it, but please do take theirs. After all they are scientists who want you to understand what it is they do, why, when and where. Or you might just want to read this article and decide for yourself if monkey research isnt necessary, cruel and a baby trade!

Finaly if reading isnt your forte just watch this and decide for yourself where you want the NIH to focus on and make a donation to those who contribute to real medical progress. The investment is worthwhile for you will invest in your own future now!

Richard Din

In life we all expect death to take away loved ones, friends and family. Life, as they say, goes on. As it has and always will. But we expect this to happen after a full and long life. It ain't necessarily so.
A friend of mine once told me about his sister who died unexpectedly after a fall. Her organs were donated and today a few other lives were saved or improved as a result of this action. She was in her early forties if I remember correctly.

In California at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs medical Center, Richard Din was a researcher involved in developing a vaccine against a meningitis strain. The strain was vaccine resistant and it somehow ended up in his blood.  He became ill on a Friday, a few hours upon leaving work.  He died of a heart attack the next day Saturday at 2pm, at the age of 25. You can read the full story here.

Richard Din was a researcher and died after handling a rare bacteria strain. He too gave his life to research. He was trying to find a cure that would have helped many of us. It is far too easy to forget about the thousands of brave men and women that are involved in the saving of lives through research and through giving health care. Of course we don't know most of them but on occasions like this it is only normal to pay tribute and if you have the means to contribute in one way or another to a cause that seeks to help, assist or builds upon finding cures for the benefit of mankind, please do so. It doesn't have to be money, it can also be some of your time as a volunteer. My contribution is very small, I only write about others that contribute one way or another to improving our lives, today or tomorrow. I also talk to my relatives and friends about the need for research and how it is negatively impacted by animal rights extremists. Sometimes one can cause great harm with all the best of intentions.

So THANK YOU Richard, for your hard work, your time and energy. Thank you for your dedication and your passion. May your intent and your contribution not be forgotten. It takes brave men and women like you to pave the way and inspire us all. I may not have known you but I sure will remember you!
Talking of improving lives as Richard did, I was reading a post by Dario Ringach on speaking of research about paralysis. The post called not difficult to grasp makes a terrific link between improving lives for paralyzed persons through research using monkeys. Make sure to watch the video. I share his enthusiasm about brain machine interface potential. We all however need to make sure monkeys remain available for such critical research. Do not let their supply chain come into harms way.

Advancing medical research takes a toll both on animals and on humans. In the end it takes our common will power to make it happen but most importantly it takes people like Richard or Dr Chet Morris and his colleagues to make science move on and to provide us all with the hope towards a cure, a new treatment for our common benefit !