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RE: Animal Testing (Controversial Topics #1)
Thanks for the topic, @suesa. I believe that much testing of medications is unnecessary too, however. Most chronic diseases are preventable through healthy eating and other healthy lifestyle practices (e.g., diabetes, heart disease, most cancers, arthritis, many neurological disorders, HIV). Should animals suffer because of ignorant humans? There are very few drugs (antibiotics) that actually cure disease, most others prolong life/suffering somewhat or make people more comfortable, rather than addressing root cause. Makes Big Pharma gobs of $$$ though!
Every disease you mentioned can happen without a bad lifestyle. Should we punish those who try but fail because there are those who don't try?
I agree that some medications are useless, but I'd say it's stuff like viagra, not insulin.
Those cases would be extremely rare. Read about the relationship between infant introduction to cow's milk, lack of Vit D, and diabetes (type I). And how diabetes (type II) can be prevented/treated through plant based diets. What we need is more/better education and better regulation of propaganda and advertising by the food/drug/USDA industries. It would be a long time before we could get to this point, though, if ever. The power of corporate greed is too great.
I agree with @suesa, in that cancers, different types of heart disease, and HIV (this is a virus. Viruses enter your system in ways that have nothing to do with eating healthily, but there's no medication that cures AIDS at this point) all have major genetic components.
I also agree with @innerlight that we need better education on ways we can improve our lives without utilizing medication. Diabetes is a huge problem because the sugar industry has not been upfront about how our sugar intake is linked to acquired Diabetes. I grew up drinking waaayy to much fruit juice because my parents thought it was healthy.
At the same time, I definitely think people can get over the top when they stop realizing how important the feats of scientific research have been in healthcare. HELLLOO, think of all the diseases (Mumps, Measles, Rubella Malaria, Polio, etc) that have become so much rarer in western societies due to the advent of vaccinations. It's a really important thing to realize and to not just shove every medication under the umbrella of "Big Pharma", as if Pharmacy is all one big, dark entity trying to profit off of the gullibility of the world.
I believe I mentioned healthy lifestyle practices which, along with diet would include things like practicing safe sex, not smoking, wearing seatbelts, etc. I cannot think of any type of cancer that is not preventable. Also, there are viruses transmittable via consumption of animal products, and also viruses that can be cleared more quickly from our systems (HPV) through eating plant based. So absolutely diet/lifestyle has an impact on our ability to contract and fight some viruses.
Testing needs to be done to advance humanity, but at what cost? I have a pet hamster and he is surprising intelligent and has the sweetest personality (accept when he bites my fingers).
