Animal Testing Perspective

Scientists are mobilising in an effort to have their voices heard in discussion of animal research  

As part of our ‘Shall it stay or shall it go?’ campaign we’ve been asking you about the future of animal research in Europe.

Well it seems that some of the scientists who work in this area have given their verdict: they want it to stay and are more than a little worried about what they see as myths around animal studies.

The folks who run the Understanding Animal Research website have brought together concerned researchers from the UK to create the Science Action Network.

The group wants scientists to enter the debate which it says has been characterised by inaccuracies and confusion, partly because scientists have been reluctant to speak up.

They are asking scientists to give five minutes per week to reply to misinformation on the internet and social media channels. There’s even a dedicated Twitter hashtag – #ARnonsense – which they want scientists to use when debunking myths, and a Facebook page where researchers are encouraged to weigh in on videos and articles about animal science.
 

So, dear reader, the question is: will it work?

Are scientists the right people to discuss the ethics of animal research? Does the campaign target the right people through the right channels? What about the tone? Do you find it abrasive, irreverent – or both?