Millions of animals are tortured every year in laboratories around the world, including here in Australia.

What's wrong with animal experimentation?

Infections like Scarlet Fever were well on the way out by the time antibiotics were created in the 40/50s. Better housing, greater hygiene, clean water, improved living conditions and less crowding saw these infections largely defeated.

Animal experiments mislead doctors and the general public. Diseases such as cancer, that are artificially induced in laboratory animals, have no relationship to the diseases which afflict humans. These are largely caused by lifestyle and pollution. "It is not possible to apply to the human species experimental information deprived from inducing cancer in animals." - Dr Kenneth Starr, NSW Cancer Council. This chimpazee shown right, was infected with syphillis, a disease that does not occur naturally in chimpanzees. What mind could think that this cruelty could be of benefit to anyone? Primates are similar in many ways to humans, but they are also VERY different too.

If we don't use animals does that mean we have to experiment on humans?

How can we improve our health without animal experiments? Australia spends approximately $20 billion a year on health. 99.3% of this amount goes to "cure", that is to doctors, hospitals, drugs and surgery - much of which is based on animal experimentation, and all of which is an action after the event. Only 0.7% of the budget is allocated to "prevention". But 75% of deaths in Australia are preventable and of these, 60% are diet-related. Therefore it is our chosen lifestyles which is making us sick. Breakdown of cancer-related deaths in Australia.

Are there alternatives to animal experimentation?

There are many alternative techniques to the use of animals. Chief amongst them is clinical study - that is, learning from the humans who have the disease. Listed below are further methods which so not involve animals.

Replacements for Vivisection

• Human tissues, cells and organs in containers (cultures) with the proposed drug, to study how it will act in the human body
• Chromatography and mass spectrometry to separate drugs at their smallest (modecular) level to identify their properties
• Quantum pharmacology using quantum mechanics to understand the modecular structure of chemicals
• Mechanical models and simulators to teach and test. Simulators already exists for the heart, circulatory, lungs and respiratory systems, and funding should be encouraged for the design of simulators for the rest of the human body
• Surveys of diseases of other cultures, life styles, diets: human case studies, autopsy reports and statistical analyses of effects of various factors on the incidence of disease
• Discarded human placentas may be used for mocrovascular surgery practice and can provide accurate data for sensitivity to chemicals
• Human volunteers can be paid to participate in controlled studies of diets, vitamins and conditions that effect the rate of disease
• Audio visual aids can be used for teaching medical students. Centralisation of existing data to provide easier access to results of research.

What can I do?

• Show this leaflet to people you know, lend it to your friends and relatives.
• Discuss the issue with others.
• Take responsibility for your own health and make adjustments to your lifestyle to foster good health.
• Buy cruelty-free products and boycott all goods that are animal tested.
• Write to your local university and ask their position on animal experiments. Explain why you think they should stop. Get your friends to do the same.
• Write to the Minister for Local Government at Parliament House and tell him/her your attitude to animal experimentation.
• Study the issue. Literature is available from Animal Liberation and other animal rights groups.

See our interview with Don Barnes.
Don Barnes used to test on animals. Now he is one of the loudest opponents of it.

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