Blog #10: QOTW Thoughts
First off I would like to thank those who responded to my blog #9 and telling of their experiences. Austin said that he had a hard time explaining to his friends that he had to take the test for a class. Well I can definitly relate to that, I had a hard enough time explaining my HIV test to my girl friend of almost two years.
QOTW #10 strikes up a question of ethics. Everyone has there own personal beleif about testing on animals. I feel one thing may be over looked and that is all of the regualations placed on animal testing. In my blog it talked about the Committee of Animal Research Ethics. This is one of the biggest regulatory committees dealing with the treatment of animals during testing. They have the power to shut down any research they determine is unethical to the treatment of animals. The committee must approve any testing before granting any money, allow any university reserach, and also how many animals are allowed to be used for research. I also read a student post that brought up the US Animal Welfare Act, which is:
The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law in 1966. While its original intent was
to regulate the care and use of animals in the laboratory, it has become the only
Federal law in the United States that regulates the treatment of animals in research,
exhibition, transport, and by dealers. Other laws, policies, and guidelines may include
additional species coverage or specifications for animal care and use, but all refer to the
Animal Welfare Act as the minimum acceptable standard (US Dept. Agriculture 2009).
It is not unnecessary to test any potential HIV medications or vaccinations on chimps because they do not get HIV. By looking at the HIV phylogeny it is proposed that the virus evoloved from SIV. This mens that there are strands of HIV that can be closely related to SIV. Being that HIV is a proposed decendent of SIV then it is should not be taken back that if a vaccination that could stop SIV in chimps could aslo prevent HIV in humans.
I talked more about my thoughts on the ethical treatment of chimps regarding testing in my QOTW #10 post if you care to read.
US Dept. Agriculture.(April 23, 2009). Animal Welfare Act. Retrieved Nov. 4, 2009 from
http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?tax_level=1&info_center=3&tax_subject=182
DYK: Most of you in the class know this already know that HIV is spreading at alarming rate. the need for education to help prevention is critical. Eventhough I have been looking at the education in the US I found some comfort that there are orginizations that help education of HIV and AIDS in third world counrties. UNICEF and UNAIDS contribute money, education tools, and training to help stop the spread of HIV world wide. For example, in Cameroon "Groups of around 30 teachers have been trained in two-day workshops, starting this year. So far, 750 teachers from across the country have been enrolled in the program, with the goal of reaching 900 by the end of October 2009," (UNICEF 2009). Lets hope they dont stick with the United States approach by stressing abstience and educate on prevention.
UNICEF. (Oct. 6 2009). Cameroon. Retreived on Nov. 4, 2009 from
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cameroon_51320.html
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My Did you know section is on prevention among adolescents and young adults. I could not agree with you more that there needs to be education on prevention! We can stress abstience all we want to, but we know that people are going to do what they want and we cannot stop them. So why not give them the knowledge they need to make informed decisions?
ReplyDeleteWow your girlfriend was upset because you wanted to get tested. I guess she thought you were hiding something. Now you know your status, but does she know hers?
ReplyDeleteIf chimps now live with their virus, what could constantly testing them with HIV do to that relationship? They don't need to stop SIV in chimps because it does them no harm.
I can definitely understand where your girlfriend was concerned because my boyfriend was concerned too. I did not want him to think that I was being unfaithful so I explained the assignment to him and just brought him along to get tested with me. The waiting period was a tough time for the both of us but it was good to have someone there for me who was experiencing the same anxiety.
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