Ice Bucket Challenge for nonsensical animal experiments?

Donations of the Ice Bucket Challenge are also used for animal experiments

08/29/2014

Within a short time, the Ice Bucket Challenge went around the world and thousands of buckets of ice water were already being poured out over heads - all for the good cause of ALS research. At the same time, celebrities, politicians and other alumni of the Challenge sometimes donated considerable sums to support the ALS Association. But as so often, this hype has its downsides. Few people will know that they are in the Ice Bucket Challenge „finance cruel and pointless animal experiments“, now reports the union „Doctors against animal testing“. All nominees are called by the organization, „not to donate to the ALS Association.“

Most people were probably not aware of the rare nerve disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) a few weeks ago. But with the original call for donations, where the nominees either throw a bucket of ice water over their heads or donate to the ALS Association, a real hype developed in the social networks. Several celebrities - but also many private persons - filmed themselves as they emptied an ice water bucket over their heads. And many decided to donate despite their task. „By now, $ 80 million in donations have come together, and there are more daily“, reports the critical medical association. Corina Gericke, board member of „Doctors against animal testing“ here raises the charge that the funds are also used for animal experiments, although „Animal testing for ALS research is a complete mistake.“

ALS Society confirms animal testing
The nationwide association „Doctors against animal testing“ with their own information about 1,400 members warns in the current press release that with the well-intentioned action of the Ice Bucket Challenge „Cruel and pointless animal experiments are financed.“ Here make the ALS society no secret that in the research on „animal models“ is set, „ as it is called in the life-disdaining jargon of the animal experimentators“, emphasized Corina Gericke. Mainly genetically engineered mice and rats were used, which have similar symptoms by switching off a gene as ALS patients. „The animals suffer from progressive paralysis and die excruciatingly“, so the message of the medical association. The experiments were to be evaluated particularly critically, since it was known for years that the ALS research did not profit from these.

ALS research does not benefit from animal testing
Because „Despite years of animal research, so far only a dozen drugs that have reduced symptoms in mice have been tested in human clinical trials“, reported „Doctors against animal testing“. Of all the active ingredients developed, all but one failed completely, „and one drug has only a marginal benefit for ALS patients“, continue the union. For a long time the medical association warns according to own data before the inadequacies and dangers of the animal experiments. „Even healthy animals and humans differ significantly in their reaction to substances“ and „ALS research uses animals that have been artificially damaged by genetic engineering and that can not reproduce the complex clinical picture in humans“, explains the union. For example, die „The commonly used mouse mutant TDP 43 inhibits intestinal obstruction because it paralyzes the intestine and does not cause muscle atrophy like human patients.“

Medical Association: Do not donate to the ALS Association
The medical association also sees its critical attitude confirmed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to „92 percent of the potential drugs found to be effective and safe in animal studies fall through the clinical trial because they do not work or act differently or are harmful to humans“, so the message from „Doctors against animal testing“. Corina Gericke concludes that the transfer of results from animal experiments to humans is pure speculation. That the donation funds of the Ice Bucket Challenge should also be used for such experiments is therefore unacceptable for the Medical Association and „Doctors against animal testing“ calls for this reason „all ice water nominees did not donate to the ALS Association so as not to be complicit in their painful and nonsensical animal experiments.“ At the same time the ALS federation is requested, „stop animal research promptly and use donations for non-animal tests on human cells, computer simulations and biochips.“ (Fp)