This argument is often put forth by Brandon Reines, who has claims that a book by Michael Bliss called The Discovery of Insulin supports this argument. In 1989, Bliss denied Reines' claim in the strongest possible terms, writing "Reines' interpretation of my work is thoroughly distorted, wrong-headed and silly. I informed him of this several years ago when I first read his mindless writing on the subject. I utterly repudiate his misunderstandings of my work. The discovery of insulin in the early 1920s stands as one of the outstanding examples in medical history of the successful use of animal experimentation to improve the human condition. Insulin would not have been isolated, at Toronto or anywhere else, without the sacrifice of thousands of dogs. These dogs made it possible for millions of humans to live."¹

Thalidomide was not tested on pregnant animals because such tests were not required at that time. Thalidomide was not available in the United States because the animal test data were considered incomplete. When tested on pregnant animals, including rats, mice, rabbits, dogs and monkeys, thalidomide produced birth defects – just as it does in humans.^2,3,4

The thalidomide tragedy shows why animal research remains vital even today. Some side effects can't be predicted in a test tube or a computer model.

This claim, made by Brandon Reines, was fully refuted by Adrian Morrison in the April 1993 issue of The American Biology Teacher. Dr. Morrison referred to Harvey's book, Exercitatio Anatomica de Motu Cordis et Sanguinis in Animalibus (Anatomical Studies on the Motion of the Heart and Blood in Animals). As Dr. Morrison points out, Harvey states in Chapter 1 that although he experienced early difficulties in his experiments, "Finally, using greater care every day, with very frequent experimentation, observing a variety of animals and comparing many observations, I felt my way out of this labyrinth, and gained accurate information, which I desired, of the motions and functions of the heart and arteries." ⁵

Although it is true that penicillin was first discovered by Alexander Fleming in a Petri dish, animal research led to the development of an effective antibiotic. Read more.

Dr. Albert Sabin, developer of the oral polio vaccine, wrote in a September 13, 1991 letter: "My own experience of over 60 years in biomedical research amply demonstrated that without the use of animals and of human beings, it would have been impossible to acquire the important knowledge needed to prevent much suffering and premature death not only among humans but also among animals."⁶

Dr. Frederick Robbins, one of the winners of the Nobel Prize for the development of the polio vaccine, has said that animal research was essential for developing the vaccine. "The statement that animal experimentation delayed the ‘fight against polio’ is totally wrong," Dr. Robbins explained. "Indeed, all we learned about the disease came from studies with animals, primarily monkeys." ⁷ Read more.