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The Rise and Fall of Animal Experimentation: Empathy, Science, and the Future of Research By Richard J. Miller

Review: Barbara Stagno, CAARE Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research and Experimentation

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Also see Author Interviewed by Kim Stallwood



animal experimentation
The Rise and Fall of Animal Experimentation: Empathy, Science, and the Future of Research
Available at Amazon
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0197665756
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0197665756

REVIEW

A new book: The Rise and Fall of Animal Experimentation: Empathy, Science and the Future of Research, by Richard J. Miller, PhD, discusses the role of animal experimentation in history and the current evidence that compels a shift away from cruel and flawed animal testing towards novel, human-based alternatives.

As the title implies, animal experimentation is unsustainable, and must necessarily decline in the face of burgeoning new technologies that can more adequately study human physiology.

The book lays out how vast genetic and physiological differences between humans and other animals make animal testing notoriously inaccurate when applied to humans. In countless circumstances, drugs that were deemed safe from animal tests proved toxic and fatal in humans.

One of these methods, organoids, is being used in new research that brings unprecedented insights to treating a rare gastrointestinal disorder through patient biopsies to create precision models. Other exciting news comes out of biotech company Frontier Bio, which has developed a 3D bioprinted blood vessel model that can test vascular medical devices without using animals.

We are standing on the precipice of a new era in animal-free science, and yet hundreds of millions of animals are still dying in laboratories around the world. Our voices are very much needed to advance an end to using animals for experiments.

"The use of animals is now behind the curve;" says Dr. Miller, "it’s unnecessary and can be replaced by studies based on genuine human tissues."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Joel Miller was born in Portman Square in London, England. He developed an interest in chemistry when his father gave him a chemistry set for his fifth birthday. Following an unfortunate series of events involving explosions in the family garage, his interests (much to his parents’ relief) shifted to the finer points of biochemistry, and a desire to use science to understand the workings of the brain. Richard obtained his PhD from Cambridge University and then joined the faculty of the University of Chicago in 1975. After 25 years he transferred to the Department of Pharmacology at Northwestern University, where he is now Professor Emeritus.

Richard has published over five hundred scientific papers and four books in the areas of biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, and neuroscience (see Google Scholars). Richard’s research has concentrated on trying to understand how drugs interact with the nervous system, as discussed in his first book “Drugged” (Oxford University Press, OUP).

In his latest book, “The Rise and Fall of Animal Experimentation” (OUP), Richard looks back over decades of research, examining the use of animals in science and exploring: Why do we do it? Is it successful, i.e. does it further translational medicine? Is it ethical? He also discusses the ever-increasing use and potential of human stem cells and related technologies in creating experimental models, making animal-based research ultimately obsolete.

Richard lives in Chicago with his wife and two cats, Marvel and Oba. He loves animals, all the arts and sports (go Arsenal!)

Richard’s aim is to help make a kinder, less violent world.


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