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Zusatztext “The book will answer most questions about animal experimentation in basic research, in toxicology studies and in education. It does this in a very thorough but readable way. Useful summaries are included at the end of each chapter, as well as an extensive glossary and reference list. … For anyone wanting to take a serious look at animal experimentation, what animals are involved, what sort of experiments are conducted and what the outcomes are – this is an essential read.” (Denise Russell, Animal Studies Journal, Vol. 2 (2), 2011) 'In The Costs and Benefits of Animal Experiments, Andrew Knight takes the debate about the utility of research on animals to a new level of scientific investigation. Instead of just listing hand-picked instances of benefits or harms produced by research on animals a procedure obviously prone to bias in the selection of cases he has sought more objective, unbiased indicators of the value of research on animals. His data is devastating to the common assumption that the practice of experimenting on animals has demonstrably high utility for humans, and is therefore justified despite the costs to animals. The Costs and Benefits of Animal Experiments shows clearly that there is insufficient empirical basis for the belief that the benefits of invasive research on nonhuman animals outweigh the costs.' Peter Singer, University of Melbourne. 'Remarkably, Knight manages to fundamentally question the practice of animal experimentation, with very little philosophising. His extensive data proves these experiments fail modern scientific standards in a succession of important medical fields, with potentially serious consequences for patients. It is clear this unemotional book represents one of the most serious scientific body blows ever inflicted against an established field of research. A paradigm shift away from animal experimentation within biomedical research is likely to come, and when it does, this book will probably be identified as one of the causes. The consequences of that shift for scientists, research funders and policy makers will be profound. I strongly urge them to familiarise themselves with the contents of this book.' - Prof. Dr. med. vet. Jörg Luy, Freie Universität Berlin. 'A huge amount of solid research has gone into Andrew Knight's book, which surveys the costs (to us, to the animals involved) and the benefits (such as they are) of animal experimentation, and comes to conclusions backed by rigorous statistical analysis that constitute a challenge to the entire enterprise. The onus now falls on experimenters all over the world to refute Knight's science. If they cannot, the only honest course of action left to them will be to unlock the cages and release their captives.' J. M. Coetzee 'The most complete analysis of published reviews of the benefits to humans of invasive animal studies.' - Dame Jane Goodall 'The best book on animal experimentation ever written.' - Radio3CR Melbourne Podcast '[Knight] draws on more than a decade of research and over 500 scientific publications to rigorously test common assumptions about animal experimentation. He offers revealing insights into the true contributions of such research to human healthcare, as well as the nature, severity and prevalence of the impacts experienced by laboratory animals. He comprehensively reviews animal use within life and health sciences education, as well as alternative research and educational strategies. This has allowed him to provide, in polished style, one of the most definitive answers yet published to a question with implications for animal ethics, biomedical research, and society at large, namely, "Is animal experimentation ethically justifiable?' His highly readable book is destined to remain an essential text for all who are interested in the ethical issues raised by animal experimentation, including scientists, philosophers, policy-makers, studen...
