Animal Research Key to Medical Gains

I find it ironic that UCI professor James McGaugh’s name was featured on consecutive days in the Los Angeles Times.

On April 23, a sign carried by an animal rights protester at UCI asked, “James McGaugh, What Have You Accomplished?” (“Marchers Protest UCI’s Animal Tests”).

That question was answered the next day in a story about Dr. McGaugh’s election to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences (“Researcher Elected to American Academy”) for his studies of how the brain learns and remembers--work with great potential in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

There was no mention in the second story that this research involves the use of animals.

Perhaps the university should be more proactive in including this information in its press releases, but we have to weigh this against the potential dangers.

Already, another of the faculty targeted by protesters is receiving threatening calls at his home. The history of animal rights organizations’ harassment and their damaging and costly terrorist activities cannot be taken lightly.

Yet, your readers should be aware that virtually every time they see a story about medical advances, they are reading about research using animals.

Every time they read of a treatment for cancer, or a new surgical technique that has saved an unborn child, or a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s, they’re reading about research using animals.

They also should understand that the mission of the animal rights activists is not to ensure that research is carried out humanely--compassionate medical researchers, skilled veterinary staffs and stringent regulations concerning animal welfare already ensure that this is the case.

Their goal is to stop all use of animals, regardless of the potential benefit.

LINDA GRANELL, Director of Communications, UC Irvine