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Article published Apr 10, 2008
Scientists rip animal protection activists
April 10, 2008
By Jennifer Harper - Scientists and physicians concerned about their
own safety challenged animal protection activists yesterday, calling
them "terrorists" and condemning their repeated attacks on researchers
who use live animals in experiments.
"We felt it was important to respond publicly to the attacks
that have been directed at scientists, their families, and their
neighbors because to be silent in the face of the attacks is to condone
them," said Dr. John Krystal, a Yale University psychiatrist who
authored a joint statement signed by 87 researchers from Yale, the
University of California, Stanford University, the University of
Pennsylvania and other institutions.
"We condemn these misguided attacks," Dr. Krystal said.
At particular issue were two incidents at the home of Dr.
Edythe London, a UCLA psychiatrist who uses monkeys in drug and tobacco
addiction studies. In October, her Beverly Hills home was vandalized
and flooded and in February it was hit by a firebomb. The Animal
Liberation Front (ALF) — an underground group with worldwide membership
— took credit for both acts in an anonymous press release.
The FBI classified the events as "domestic terrorism" and is still investigating.
"We find it galling that these researchers would call us
terrorists when they are the ones inducing terror in animals in the
name of science," said Dr. Jerry Vlasak, a Los Angeles-based trauma
surgeon who acts as spokesman for ALF, specifying that he is not an
active member of the group, but sympathizes with their cause.
"The vast majority of animal research doesn't produce anything
useful for human beings. Even if it was useful, it isn't justified. It
is still immoral," he added.
To protect UCLA researchers, the Los Angeles County Superior
Court has since issued a restraining order against ALF and two other
groups; UCLA condemned the attacks, though officials acknowledged some
of Dr. London's research was funded by Philip Morris.
Activists, meanwhile, are reflecting on the situation. Dr.
Vlasak will serve on a three-man panel April 26 at "Confronting
Cruelty," an animal rights conference in Salt Lake City, addressing the
"strategic and moral implications of breaking the law to achieve social
change," according to the event Web site.
Dr. Krystal and his cohorts consider their proclamation —
published in the academic journal Biological Psychiatry — "an urgent
public statement," warning that "terrorist acts affiliated with ALF and
other groups" are increasing and citing other attacks on researchers in
California, Oregon and Utah.
The District-based Society for Neuroscience issued an advisory
for its 38,000 members on Feb. 6, clearly outlining security
precautions, plus tips on handling media inquiries, local law
enforcement and civic affairs.
"It is deeply disturbing to see scientists under attack simply
for pursuing research questions whose answers will ultimately benefit
human and animal health. Although polls show Americans overwhelmingly
support medical research and reject the use of terrorism, there has
been surprisingly little outrage over the tactics of these extreme
animal rights activists," said Robert Palazzo, president of the
Maryland-based Federation of American Societies for Experimental
Biology.
"Humane use of animal models has led to all of our greatest advances in medicine," he added.