Wednesday, November 28, 2007

drugs, drugs, drugs

Here's the main reason I'm ambivalent about anti-vivisectionist petitions - if the drug companies don't test their products on innocent animals, would we still have the medical treatments we have today?

The genes I've ended up with have ensured that I get a fair bit of experience in the use of medication (for my allergies, for instance). And in the last couple of days I've been grateful for the painkillers, anti-inflammatories and muscle-relaxants that have made my back strain that much less torturous. I'm now at the point where I can sit and stand with only moderate amounts of pain. So I'd be a hypocrite to voice opposition to testing on animals, wouldn't I?

If only scientists could test on violent criminals instead.

6 comments:

Kazzer said...

Violet for Prime Minister. I like your style. I'm against animal testing, but what say we test new drugs on convicted paedophiles? Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.
Glad your back is on the mend.

Watson Woodworth said...

But testing on violent criminals sounds so much like the plot to bas sci-fi TV.
Which I do secretly enjoy watching.

We Americans would probably fall over ourselves to have bad things tested on our Members of Congress and our current President. Which I must admit would be good for a larf.

Angela said...

Hum... I would say that is a good idea.
I am thankful for drugs too. I stayed home from work sick today.
I need some good drugs

Anonymous said...

I agree about the crims

On anti-vivisection though, I do deplore the way the same tests are done over and over again, for different companies/interest groups. Part of the problem (I believe, but I am not knowledgable on this) is that some results are kept confidential so if another company wants to find out the same thing, they have to do the same study. Which is nuts.

Violet said...

angela: I bet you could really do with a day off too. Get better soon.

cathi: I think I know what you mean. They used to do an LD50 test, which was to subject a large number of animals to some substance and note the dosage at which 50% of them died. This somewhat arbitrary figure was used to determine the safe level of it. Yuck.

Violet said...

kazzer: if only I do it as a part-time job ;-)

nigel: if it sounds like science fiction then it's probably already happening somewhere in the world...