California, USA - 10 June 2002 (PRN): Americans For Medical Advancement, a 501C3 patient advocacy group, wishes to clarify its position and the position of its president, Ray Greek, MD, on the similarities and differences between species.

In their book, Specious Science: How Genetics and Evolution Reveal Why Medical Research on Animals Harms Humans, (Continuum Int Pub 2002), Ray Greek, MD and Jean Greek, DVM explain why modern-day evolutionary biology predicts, and modern-day molecular biology confirms, that very small differences between species, on the genetic level, invalidate the historical notion that experiments on animals can lead to cures and beneficial treatments for human disease.

In his book, Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights, attorney Steven M. Wise explains that animals and humans have behavioral and cognitive traits in common such as the ability to experience a life of interest to them, to reason, feel pain, learn, and so forth.

The facts Drs. Greek explain in their books do not conflict with the facts presented by Mr. Wise in his. Grossly, all animals have things in common. Chimpanzees, dolphins and other animals have hearts, immune systems, brains, for example. These similarities have certain consequences, as Mr. Wise points out, namely that some nonhuman animals can experience certain aspects of life that humanity deems significant. To deny that a chimpanzee has a mind is scientifically untenable. The social consequences of this, Mr Wise elaborates on in Drawing the Line.

AFMA has no position on animal rights or welfare and hence has no comment on Mr Wise's position other than to say we have no scientific criticisms of his book. AFMA is composed of medical professionals, scientists, and others who represent various social and ethical philosophies. In common is an understanding of science and the scientific method and the knowledge that science has outgrown the need for experiments on animals. Historically, when science knew so little about anatomy and physiology, one could experiment on animals and find similarities. But today we are studying disease on the level that defines the species, hence it should come as no surprise that animal models mislead researchers and result in harm to humans.

According to AFMA president, Dr. Ray Greek: "Perhaps the best way to explain the difference between Mr Wise's observations and ours is the following: Eight of the drugs recalled between 1998 and 2001 by the FDA had deleterious side effects that manifested primarily in women. Men and women have much in common: various organs, their immune systems, the ability to think and reason, and so forth. These similarities exist in the gross or macroscopic world that Mr. Wise examines. But despite all the similarities between men and women, these medications acted very differently in them, on the molecular level, which is the world we, AFMA, and science-based medicine examines."

Those who attempt to confuse these two views of life, the gross versus the microscopic, do so because it is in their financial best interest.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Ray Greek
Americans For Medical Advancement
Tel: 310 678 9076
Email: webmaster@curedisease.com