Be critical

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© Oleg Kozlov / fotolia.com
 

Further information


 

Animal-friendly cosmetics

 

 

Food for thought
 

Yes to progress – but not at any price

Rejecting animal experiments does not mean being against medical progress – even if this is often brought forth as an argument. Rejecting animal experiments reflects the conviction that progress should not be achieved at the price of tremendous animal suffering. Scientists and the pharmaceutical industry often ask animal experiment opponents in whose favor they would decide in a critical situation: an ill child or a mouse. Such an “either or” question is not justified. Progress can also be ensured without animal experiments.

 

Safety and health thanks to animal experiments?

Animal experiments are to protect us from the risks of medication and other substances such as household chemicals. Animal experiments should also help us to develop new therapy methods and surgery techniques. But we are dealing with a false sense of safety here, because a mouse is not a human being. Time and again, we read about drugs that did not furnish prove of any adverse side effects in animal experiments but that caused havoc in the human body. The most well known example of this is probably the Contergan scandal (german) of the early sixties. A more recent example would be Vioxx, a pain medication and anti-inflammatory, that had to be taken off the market in 2004 because of grave side effects.

 

What can the individual do?

Contrary to the choice to refrain from eating meat in order to prevent animal suffering; our possibilities to combat animal experiments are very limited. Be it the color of a carpet or the plastic of a computer casing – everything is tested within the scope of legally prescribed animal experiments. Life in our modern society is so closely linked to animal experiments that it has become impossible to hold oneself harmless. It also makes little sense to refuse medication, because you would not be helping any animals by doing so.

 

With regard to cosmetics, however, consumers have a choice. Inform yourself which manufacturers do not carry out animal testing and buy their products. Helpful information is provided in the right-hand column of this page.  

 

Take a stand

Because so much in our everyday lives is tested on animals, it is important to take a stand. This can be done by changes to the law but also on a very personal level: Inform your family and acquaintances of the problem. Explain to them that refusing animal experiments will not lead to less safety or hinder medical progress. Keep yourself well informed in order to be able to argue convincingly. The links provided on in the column on the right could prove to be helpful.

 

Improvements in the field of animal experiments can only be achieved if individuals begin to adopt a different mindset.