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Unit8SectionAAnimalsorchildren?Ascientist'schoice1Iamtheenemy!Iamoneofthosecursed,cruelphysicianscientistsinvolvedinanimalresearch.Theserumorssting,forIhaveneverthoughtofmyselfasanevilperson.Ibecameachildren'sdoctorbecauseofmyloveforchildrenandmysupremedesiretokeepthemhealthy.Duringmedicalschoolandresidency,Isawmanychildrendieofcancerandbloodshedfrominjurycircumstancesagainstwhichmedicinehasmadegreatprogressbutstillhasalongwaytogo.Moreimportantly,Ialsosawchildrenhealthythankstoadvancesinmedicalsciencesuchasinfantbreathingsupport,powerfulnewmedicinesandsurgicaltechniquesandtheentirefieldoforgantransplantation.Mydesiretotipthescalesinfavorofhealthy,happychildrendrewmetomedicalresearch.12Myaccusershavetwistedthetruthintoafableandcastmeasthedevil.TheyclaimthatIhavenomoralcompass,thatItortureinnocentanimalsforthesolepurposeofcareeradvancement,andthatmyexperimentshavenorelevancetomedicine.Meanwhile,anuncaringpublicbarelywatches,convincedthattheissuehasnosignificance,andpublicity-conscioussenatorsandpoliticiansincreasinglygivewaytothelobbyingofanimalrightsactivists.23We,inmedicalresearch,havealsobeenunbelievablyuncaring.Wehaveallowedthemostextremeanimalrightsprotesterstocreepinandframetheissueasoneofanimalfraudandhatred.Wehavepersistedinourbeliefthataknowledgeablepublicwouldconsenttotheimportanceofanimalresearchforpublichealth.Perhapswehavebeenmistakeninnotrespondingtotheemotionaltoneoftheargument.Perhapsweshouldhaverespondedtothosesadslogansandpostersofanimalsbywavingequallysadpostersofchildrendyingofcancerorexternalwounds.34Intheanimalrightsforum,muchismadeofthevolumeofpaintheseanimalsexperienceinthenameofmedicalscience.Activistsdenythatwearetryingtohelpandsayitisevidenceofourevilandcruelnature.Amorereasonableargument,however,canbeadvancedinourdefense.Lifeisoftencrueltoanimalsandhumanbeings.Teenagersareflungfromtrucksandsuffersevereheadinjuries.Youngchildrenbarelyabletowalkfindthemselvesatthebottomofswimmingpoolswhileaparentisoccupiedwithsomethingelse.Fromeverydaygermstogangviolence,nolifeisfreeofpain.Physicianshopingtorelievetheeternalsufferingofthesetragedieshaveonlythreechoices:1)createananimalmodeloftheproblemtounderstandtheprocessandtestnewtherapies;2)experimentonhumanbeings(someexperimentswillsucceed,mostwillfail);or3)leavemedicalknowledgestatic,hopingthataccidentaldiscoverieswillleadusforward.41235Someanimalrightsactivistswouldsuggestanoptionalfourthchoice,claimingthatcomputermodelscancreateanimalexperiments,thusomittingactualexperiments.Computerscanimitatetheeffectsofwell-understoodprinciplesoncomplexsystems,asintheapplicationofthelawsofphysicstoairplaneandautomobiledesign.However,whentheprinciplesthemselvesareinquestion,asisthecasewiththecomplexbiologicalsystemsofhumanlifeunderstudy,computermodelingaloneisoflittlevalue.56Oneoftheterrifyingeffectsofarrestingtheuseofanimalsinmedicalresearchisthattheimpactwillnotbefeltforyearsorevendecades.Drugstocureinfectionwillremainundiscovered,surgicalanddiagnostictechniqueswillremainundeveloped,andfundamentalbiologicalprocessesthatmighthavebeenunderstoodwillremainmysteries.Thereisthedangerthatquickdecisionsbywell-meaningpoliticianswillcreateresolutiontodiplomaticallysatisfythesmallminorityofloudprotestorswhiletheconsequencesanddamagingimpactofthosedecisionswillnotbeapparentuntillongafter.67Fortunately,mostofusenjoygoodhealth,andtheagonyofwatchingone'schilddiehasbecomearareexperience.Yetourgoodfortuneshouldnotmakeusunappreciative.Protectionfromserioussicknessanddrugstocombatheartdisease,highbloodpressureandstrokeareallbasedonanimalresearch.Mostcomplexsurgicalproceduressuchasheartorhipsurgeryandorgantransplantationsurgerieswereinitiallydevelopedinanimals.Techniquestoreplacedefectivegenes,thecauseofsomuchdisease,aswellasthedevelopmentofsyntheticorgansarepresentlyundergoinganimalstudies.Thesestudies,andanysubsequentadvances,willeffectivelyendifanimalresearchisseverelyrestricted.78InAmericatoday,deathhasbecomeaneventisolatedfromourdailyexistence.Asadoctorwhohaswatchedmanychildrendieandseentheirparents'infinitegrief,Iamparticularlyangeredbyanyminuteexpressionofcaringforthesufferingofcreaturesandsolittleforsickanddyinghumanbeings.Peoplearetooprotectedfromtherealityofhumanlifeanddeathandwhatitmeans.8,9Makenomistake,however.Iwouldneveradvocateneedlesscrueltreatmentofanimals.Theanimalrightsmovementhasmadeacontributioninmakingusmoreawareofanimals'needsandtheneedtosearchharderforsuitablealternatives.Butifthemoreradicalmembersofthismovementaresuccessfulinthreateningfurtherresearch,theireffortswillbringaboutatragedythatwillcostmanylives.Hencetherealquestioniswhetheranuncaringmajoritycanbearousedtoprotectitsfutureagainstaloud,butmisdirected,minority.9