[Stu]

I'm against animal testing save for cases where a clear route to something beneficial to the human species can be trodden. If testing on an animal will make obvious inroads into AIDS research then go for it. My animal welfare views don't extend as far as considering monkeys of greater importance than human beings.

Another extreme case would be where the tests could prove dangerous. Again I value human body and mind more than that of a monkey. I'm not even sure where I stand on testing on the likes of paedophiles.

As for mother nature inventing new diseases to cull our numbers ... that's no reason to not constantly fight them. Besides I'd question to science of that statement. The animal kingdom culls it's numbers and whatnot but I don't think this invisible, generic 'mother nature' actually consciously creates diseases in order to maintain equilibrium.

If she is then she is doing a very bad job of it.