Physicians and the Animal-Rights Movement

Abstract

THE current animal-rights movement threatens the future of health science far more than many physicians recognize. The movement is no fringe group of fanatics who cannot have a serious effect on the real world. It is led by politically shrewd people who have built a powerful machine opposed to all animal studies in the life sciences. By impugning the motives of scientists, inaccurately portraying the conditions under which most animal research takes place, and often camouflaging the radical nature of their true goal, the movement's leaders have won support from many well-meaning but misguided sympathizers with animal welfare. The cost . . .