The anti-animal research position extolled by Kenneth Stoller (The Scientist, Sept. 5, 1994, page 12) seems rather contradictory in light of his profession. As a pediatrician, he must be aware of the vast amount of animal research that directly affects a newborn's health. The first surgical closure of a patent ductus, which normally closes at birth, was performed using puppies. Without this closure, a "blue" baby lingered and soon died.
Today this situation is not even in the textbooks, and most medical students have never seen this syndrome. The use of pulmonary surfactants--critical to the management of premature infants--was developed using animals, particularly newborn lambs. The list goes on and on, including vaccines, antibiotics, diagnostic procedures, and treatments.
Stoller may not approve of research using animals, but because he is a private practitioner, the vast amount of his income is directly tied to animal research done so that he may...
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