Sunday, May 2, 2021 | 2 a.m.
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The animal rights group White Coat Waste Project claims that animal studies are “taxpayer waste.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
Want proof? Consider COVID-19. Research in mice, rats, monkeys, hamsters and other animals revealed critical information to help combat the novel coronavirus. Millions of Americans are being safely vaccinated in record time thanks to decades of research — including pivotal animal studies in the ’90s — that resulted in a remarkable new method for developing vaccines using snippets of RNA.
Don’t just take our word for it. The National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association all agree that animal research leads to new treatments and cures.
The American Veterinary Medical Association supports animal studies as well. Why? Because advancements that improve animal medicine and save our pets’ lives naturally require research in animals.
The proof is overwhelming: Animal research helps all of us.
The writer is communications director for Americans for Medical Progress, a nonprofit organization that advocates for responsible and regulated research in animals.
