physicianhasusedDraizetestdatatoaidinthemanagement
ofaneyeinjury.Ihaveneverusedresultsfromanimalteststo
manageaccidentalpoisoning.Emergencyphysiciansrelyon
casereports,clinicalexperienceandexperimentaldatafrom
clinicaltrialsinhumanswhendeterminingtheoptimalcourse
of treatment for their patients.^56
Toxicologistshaveknownforalongtimethatextrapolation
from onespeciesto anotheris ahighlyrisky venture.The
most notorious drug to have caused unexpected harm to
humans is thalidomide—which was extensively tested on
animalsbeforeitwasreleased.Evenafterthalidomide was
suspectedofcausingdeformitiesinhumans,laboratorytests
onpregnantdogs,cats,rats,monkeys,hamsters,andchickens
all failed to produce deformities. Only when a particular
strainofrabbitwastriedweredeformitiesproduced.^57 More
recently,Oprenpassedalltheusualanimaltestsbeforeitwas
releasedandextensivelytoutedasanew“wonderdrug”for
the treatment of arthritis by its manufacturer, the
pharmaceutical giant EliLilly. Opren was suspendedfrom
useinBritainaftersixty-onedeathsandover3,500reportsof
adversereactions.AreportinNewScientistestimatedthatthe
real tollcould havebeenmuch higher.^58 Other drugs that
were considered safe after animal tests but later proved
harmfularethe heartdiseasedrugPractolol, which caused
blindness, and the cough suppressant Zipeprol, which
produced seizures and comas in some of those who took it.^59
Aswellasexposingpeopletoharm,testingonanimalsmay
leadustomissoutonvaluableproductsthataredangerousto
animals but not to human beings. Insulin can produce
deformitiesininfantrabbitsandmice,butnotinhumans.^60
Morphine,whichiscalmingtohumanbeings,causesmiceto