Animal activists are indeed posing a real threat to the future of medical
research. When they are unsuccessful in obtaining legislation to prevent the use
of animals in research, animal activists turn their efforts to increasing
research costs, thus accomplishing the same end results. This movement has
gained tremendous momentum and has placed the research community in a crisis
situation.
It has become clear that simply stating the facts is not enough to slow the
movement. The activists play on the public's emotions, creating false images of
animals needlessly suffering, then cite their own "facts" and charge that the
researchers are inhumane and not to be trusted. Unfortunately, the general
public listens closer to their heart than their mind.
iiFAR is able to appeal to the compassion of the public as well. Everyone has
been touched by a serious, life threatening, or incurable illness either
directly or indirectly. The reality of everyone's concern for the well-being of
friends and family opens their minds to the facts supporting the importance of
animal models in the search for cures.
iiFAR, representing the beneficiaries of biomedical research (patients), seeks
to balance the debate and ensure that decisions regarding the use of animals in
research are based on sound scientific principles and data.
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