Biloxi Sun Herald (MS)
Speaking of Research: Students Stand Up for Animal Testing
By Speaking of Research
Posted on Fri, Mar. 28, 2008
http://www.sunherald.com/447/story/455622.html

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 28 --The tide could be turning against animal
rights activists who demonstrate on campuses around the nation. Today
marks the launch of Speaking of Research (SR), a student outreach
organization, which aims to rally students and faculty in support of
lifesaving medical research using animals.

Speaking of Research seeks to challenge animal rights dominance of the
issue by participating in talks and debates on campuses across the
country in the coming months. The group's website,
http://www.speakingofresearch.org, provides students with the
information and encouragement to enable them to speak out on the
issue.

Animal rights activism is now at an all time high in the United
States. Several university researchers have recently had their homes
attacked by protesters while other scientists and their families have
been threatened by mail, email and phone.

Tom Holder, founder of Speaking of Research, said: "Students played a
major part in changing public attitudes toward animal research in the
UK, and we believe that American students can do the same. Animal
research is responsible for most of the lifesaving treatments we take
for granted, from anesthetics and asthma inhalers to penicillin and
insulin. It's time to stand up for science, reason and the belief that
a small and sometimes violent minority should not be allowed to
dictate the future of medical research."

In the UK, the student movement Pro-Test (http://www.pro-test.org.uk)
was one of the main driving forces behind creating open, popular
support for animal research. In 2006 it held the first ever
demonstration in support of animal research, attracting nearly 1,000
people. Holder was head organizer for all three Pro-Test
demonstrations, and has since moved to the US in order to help bring
balance to a debate which has been monopolized by animal rights
groups.

Jacquie Calnan, president of Americans for Medical Progress
(http://www.amprogress.org), a non-profit that provides support for
scientists who carry out animal research, commented: "For far too long
our college campuses have been prime recruitment turf for animal
rights groups seeking to misrepresent scientists' need for animals in
biomedical research. Animal rights disinformation campaigns have
dissuaded some students from pursuing careers in the life sciences,
and others to actively oppose the ongoing search for medical
progress."

SOURCE Speaking of Research
Tom Holder of Speaking of Research, +1-703-395-0646,
media@speakingoresearch.org,