World Laboratory Animal Day: Behind every medicine that cures diseases in humans is the untold suffering and sacrifice of animals

Syed Akbar
Hyderabad:  Behind every medicine that cures diseases in
humans is the untold suffering and sacrifice of animals. City
scientists will celebrate the World Laboratory Animal Day on April 24
by commemorating the sacrifices made by these noble creatures,
popularly called lab animals, in improving the environment, quality of
life and furthering science.

The National Centre for Laboratory Animal Sciences (NCLAS) located at
NIN campus here will hold a national symposium on “laboratory animal
sciences in the new millennium – challenges and solution” to mark the
occasion.

Ironically, NCLAS is one of the largest animal suppliers in the
country. It supplies about 50,000 animals to around 175 laboratories
and institutions in India. This year’s World Laboratory Animal Day is
celebrated in the wake of the Central government banning use of
animals in experiments in educational institutions.

“Countless monkeys, dogs, rats and other animals are burned, blinded,
cut open, poisoned, starved and drugged behind closed laboratory
doors. Not only are animal tests extremely cruel, they are also
completely inaccurate because of the vast physiological variations
between species,” says a statement by People for Ethical Treatment of
Animals (PETA).

PETA has been arguing that animal studies teach scientists nothing
about the health of humans because human reactions to illnesses and
medications are completely different from the reactions of other
animals. Other species absorb, metabolise and eliminate substances
differently than humans do. The truth is that testing on animals is
just plain bad science, which harms humans and other animals alike.

According to PETA, many vivisectors come to India because, in their
own countries, they cannot get away with doing the type of animal
testing they can here. Every year, research facilities across India –
including the Animal Research Centre, the Patel Chest Institute, the
National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) and the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS), – squander valuable time and resources as
well as millions of rupees conducting experiments on monkeys, dogs,
cats, rabbits, rats, mice and other animals.