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I am comfortable with animal research because I think it's part of human nature to constantly seek 'improvement' with our lot, no matter what the results. Mankind was born to tinker. Life on earth is one giant 'unscientific' experiment in planetary survival. We will need all the science we can get to make it through. In terms of quality of life, Native Americans were probably far more advanced than us despite shorter lifespans and limited health intervention. I envy the purity of their culture. Certainly, respect is due for all manner of life with which we share this world. Nonetheless, does saying a prayer for an animal before you slaughter it lessen its suffering? Obviously the prayer does a lot more to assuage the hunter's conscience than that of the prey. I remember watching a student in college who was removing adrenal glands in a rat for some manner of experiment. Actually, he just loved doing the surgery for its own sake because his father was a famous surgeon and he intended to become one himself. I remember thinking how cruel he was. He was operating for no better reason than practice. He bragged about his skills as he worked and I found his attitude repugnant. Years later I learned that this obnoxious student became a world reknowned surgeon who operated on human fetuses in the womb to correct life-threatening problems. I don't know if the world is better for his success in this area, but I assume that there are quite a few parents who are thankful for his early 'training'. Fetal tissue surgery is a crude, but necessary, step in the progression of Parkinson's treatment. Eventually we will find a way to artificially culture immature dopamine neurons from our own cells or other sources, but in the mean time we require a reasonable source for these vital cells. We need to prove to the world that the procedure is practical and efficacious in order to take the next step to develop a proper source. The introduction of millions of new chemicals into the environment during the twentieth century has opened a pandora's box of uncontrolled variables to confuse our glorious experiment. It would be entirely appropriate to apply the brakes at this point and examine what we have wrought. Tough to do. In the meantime we might as well use technology to improve quality of life where we can. If you think animal research is a difficult ethical issue, just hold on to your hat for the questions arising out of genetic engineering. Recently, scientists achieved a breakthrough in breeding a mouse that develops Alzheimer's. It is one thing to induce a disease in an animal and then sacrifice it mercifully once experiments are completed. Are we taking a giant step forward by engineering species that are born to suffer? Other brewing controversies: patented lifeforms, DNA supercomputers. The list goes on. Still, I think it is part of our nature is to tinker with life and we must learn to live within our nature. We need to respect life and minimize suffering as we clumsily work to improve our world.