Animal Research Benefits

To a scientist such as myself, who spent 40 years in pharmaceutical research and saw some 20 new drugs reach the market, it is shocking that a physician like Kenneth Stoller (The Scientist, Sept. 5, 1994, page 12) would have any doubts about the need for experimental animals in new drug research and development. Is he saying that he would administer a new drug to a human with no preclinical experience in animals? To himself, his family, his patients? Would he give a new drug to a human that showed serious toxicity in a lower animal? If so, on what possible ethical basis? If not, how could he consider using any new compound in man without animal studies to rule out toxicities?

The Dr. Stollers of this world should have to answer these questions to justify their ridiculous and misguided depredation of the need for animals in drug...