AR-News: Letters (UC Davis) Stop lethal monkey research

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From: primfocus at waste.org

Published letters to the editor of the CALIFORNIA AGGIE (UC Davis) in
response to pro-viv article.
http://www.californiaaggie.com/article/?id=4337

Stop lethal monkey research

Your article nicely illustrated the dichotomy between studies of non-human
primates in the wild and in captivity (see "Monkey shortage limits primate
center," May 5). It also demonstrated that animal advocates are not the only
ones who use emotional arguments to persuade the public.

I urge psychology professor John Capitanio to stop wasting federal funds to
infect young monkeys with the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - which is not
the same as human AIDS - to study social status and to stop assuming the
results apply to people with AIDS. Rather, Capitanio should study primates
behaving normally in their natural habitat. There are plenty of human
primates with AIDS who could participate in and benefit from non-invasive
social research, and such observations would result in useful data that
actually applies to humans.

I was also interested to read that Dr. Capitanio is having difficulty
obtaining monkeys for experiments. Natural populations of non-human primates
are dwindling due to habitat destruction and fragmentation, not to mention
hunting for the commercial trade in monkey and ape meat. Yet Dr. Capitanio
and others continue to use and dispose of monkeys year after year and
complain that there just aren't enough monkeys around to manipulate, harm
and infect with lethal viruses.

CRYSTAL MILLER-SPIEGEL

senior policy analyst, American Anti-Vivisection Society



Winnie Ho's article read more like a primate experimentation commercial than
a news story (see "Monkey shortage limits primate center," May 5). Her
support of imprisoning, infecting and killing animals denies readers a
truthful account of animal experimentation, or vivisection.

Vivisection is cruel and unscientific. Results obtained from animals cannot
be applied to humans. The first polio vaccine tested successfully in animals
but crippled and killed humans. Scientists reported that human autopsies and
in vitro research were responsible for insulin. Read package inserts of oral
contraceptives and it's clear the only known effects they have on humans has
been determined through clinical observation.

Professor Capitanio's attempt to understand social factors' effect on AIDS
would be better understood if he observed AIDS patients. His confining,
infecting and causing stress to rhesus monkeys infected not with HIV but
with SIV, gives little to no insight into similar situations with humans.
After all, monkeys are not humans, and SIV is not HIV.

Ms. Ho was wrong in stating vivisection has enriched the quality of life for
people, unless she's referring to researchers who cash big checks for their
deceitful, cruel work.

There are many human-based research methods providing higher accuracy and no
ethical compromises, revealing vivisection as undeniably medieval.

TARA NAYLOR

New Jersey Animal Rights Alliance


Crystal Miller-Spiegel
Senior Policy Analyst
American Anti-Vivisection Society
801 Old York Road, #204
Jenkintown, PA  19046
phone 215.887.0816
fax 215.887.2088
email: cspiegel at aavs.org
web:
www.aavs.org
www.banpoundseizure.org
www.stopanimalpatents.org






the wild, cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. he is in front of it - axel munthe

"Never doubt that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world. 
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."      Margaret Mead
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