Today we stop ignoring the truth about how new treatments make it to our medicine cabinets and face the hard facts…together...on GetReal! Support the Show.By Cindy Buckmaster

There’s no such thing as compassion fatigue and we should drop it from our vocabulary immediately! This term, along with most of the others used to describe the emotions we battle when working with research animals, just makes things worse. Confused? Our guest from the Two Truths episode, Lisa Kelly, returns today to spell it out for us…on GetReal!…

You may find this surprising, but biomedical research with animals isn’t only necessary for improving human and animal lives. It’s also critical for protecting our food supply and our economy. How so? Dr. Maggie Behnke, Attending Veterinarian for the USDA National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, joins us today to lay out the facts…on GetReal! Suppor…

Is love for animals what truly drives the animal rights movement? How did this movement begin and what is its ultimate goal? Patti Strand, President and Founder of the National Animal Interest Alliance, has been studying this movement and sharing her findings publicly for decades. She’ll break it all down for us today…on GetReal! Support the Show.…

Groups opposed to research with animals insist that studies with monkeys are irrelevant to human health and disease, and that all of these animals should be retired to sanctuaries. Those who believe these groups consider this to be a perfect plan; but is it? Surely a sanctuary would be an ideal place for retired research monkeys to spend the rest o…

There’s a lot of discussion these days about the “reproducibility crisis” in science and how that may be delaying the medical advances we seek for ourselves and our loved ones. Today we’re going to talk about what may be the number one reason for why more than half of the research findings from animal studies are questionable. The animals on study …

Today we’ll catch up with Trina who lost her beautiful boy, Austin, to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy two years ago. It turns out that her journey with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy isn’t over yet because, contrary to popular belief, girls and women are also affected by this devastating and deadly disease. But the scientific and medical communities have…

Breeding research mice responsibly is not as easy as it sounds. Every day, animal lives are wasted and biomedical discovery is compromised because colony management has simply become too complex for human beings to do well. So…we should STOP DOING IT! Our partners at Transnetyx have developed tools that are available right now that make our critica…

What would you do if you worked with research animals and you were certain they could receive better care than they were getting? A lot of people would probably just get frustrated and complain about it. They might even feel hopeless enough to resign. But what if you could find better ways for folks to care for their animals and their science, and …

The fate of dogs in classic biomedical research studies is more questionable than ever. So, what are our options? Can we keep up with the demand for new treatments with fewer dogs in biomedical research? Our guest today is Dr. Veronica Maldonado. Dr. Maldonado is an ACLAM Boarded Laboratory Animal Veterinarian with a PhD in Immunology who has worke…

The final inspection report by the USDA on May 3, 2022 revealed no serious animal health concerns at the Envigo/Inotiv research dog breeding facility in Cumberland, VA. So why did they close and how might this impact public health moving forward? Joining us today is a member of the Inotiv team who will share the details no one has been able to acce…

Is it possible that thousands of Americans have been programmed to harm themselves and everyone they love without realizing it? Are they fighting passionately for something that’s actually an illusion - an illusion deliberately designed to exploit their natural love of animals - for the personal gain of those directing them? Tom Leach, an attorney …

Why we are we still doing research with animals when there are several human relevant, non-animal alternatives available to us right now that can be used to develop new medical treatments? Dr. Megan LaFollette, Program Director of the North American 3Rs Collaborative, breaks it down for us on today’s episode…of GetReal! Support the Show.…

Over 95% of the animals we rely on for medical advances are rodents and most of them live, and are studied, in stressful environments that compromise our ability to learn from them. Investigations by animal welfare scientists reveal that research rodents are typically CRAMPED: Cold, Rotund, Abnormal, Male-biased, Poorly surviving, Enclosed, and Dis…

Why are biomedical researchers under so much pressure to produce, produce, produce? And does this pressure accelerate or delay meaningful progress for new treatments and cures? Our guest today came to us through the GetReal! website. She is a PhD student of cancer immunology who has a lot to share about her concerns, frustrations...and her hope for…

Only five percent of the drugs developed and tested with animals actually make it to market. Groups that oppose research with animals continue to tell lawmakers and the general public that this is no surprise because animals are worthless as models for the human condition? They argue that we are just too different from nonhuman animals for anything…

Today we’ll discuss climate change, biotoxins, marine life, and how this all came together in the incredible and heart-warming story of Cronutt, the intractably epileptic sea lion. It’s a story of exploration, perseverance and love. And it’s a story of hope - brought to us and everyone we love - by decades of foundational and translational research…

The vast majority of animals involved in biomedical research studies today are rodents, mainly mice. And the scientific information that comes from most of them is questionable because of a source of variability that is often overlooked by the research community - the bedding in their cages. Joining us today to break down the 'what', 'why' and 'wha…

Do you know anyone struggling with Alzheimer's Disease (AD)? Any friends or family? The chances are high that you do. One in nine Americans over 65 suffer with AD currently and case numbers continue to rise each year. This is not surprising, given that the number of Americans over 65 is also rising annually. But did you know that women are almost t…

Over 95% of the animals involved in biomedical research are mice. These animals are incredibly important models for human disease because 85% of the genes that drive biological function in people and mice are identical, so genetic contributions to human disease can be strongly inferred by manipulating mouse genes. Large litters and short lifespans …

About half of the studies published from research with animals are questionable because they can't be replicated. The research community has been trying to rein this unacceptable manifestation of sloppy science practices in for over a decade with limited success. A good deal of focus has been placed on strong, unbiased study design and complete, tr…

1. We will be clear about when, how and why we use animals in research. 2. We will enhance our communications with the media and the public about our research using animals. 3. We will be proactive in providing opportunities for the public to find out about research using animals. 4. We will report on progress annually and share our experiences. Th…

I am a firm believer in transparency - in all things, but especially biomedical research with animals. Animals didn’t sign up for their involvement in this work and the people who love them are constantly asking for explanations that are answered by special interest groups that oppose research with animals, no matter the cost to us and our loved on…

Texas A&M University has endured several years of harassment and intimidation by PETA and their followers, including Sir Paul McCartney, based on claims made by PETA about how dogs involved in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) research are treated at this university. And, while many of us support research aimed at improving the lives of children an…

Is it ethical to do biomedical research with animals to improve the health of others? People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and other groups that oppose studies of this kind, are unequivocal in their belief that it is not. These groups continue to have a powerful influence over the feelings and beliefs of millions of people worldwide,…

Most of us love animals. So, when someone tells us that animals are being tormented for pointless experiments, by monsters who view them as objects rather than the precious, living beings they are, we get angry! And we take whatever action we can to stop them. But what if none of that is really true? What if research with animals is not pointless. …

Millions of Americans struggle with substance abuse - at great cost to themselves, their loved ones, and society overall. It's a huge burden that we can't address effectively until we can characterize it fully. Is addiction a choice-based societal problem? Or is it a biologically driven health crisis? And how can research with animals inform therap…

In observance of National Mental Health Awareness Month, we honor Dr. Elisabeth Murray for her foundational brain research with monkeys, and counter PETA's claims about her pioneering work...with the facts. Thank you, Dr. Elisabeth Murray! Support the Show.By Cindy Buckmaster

Is research on one disease more essential than another? Or do they all matter? What is the relevance of "basic research" in developing treatments and cures for every disease? Today we will join Liviya and Brian Anderson on a breathtaking family journey across ten years of living with, what one doctor called, Liviya's "sleeping demon". We'll experie…

Our guest today is Lisa Kelly, a good friend and colleague of mine with a gift for sharing deep truths in powerfully engaging and thought provoking ways. Prepare yourself for some serious introspection as Lisa shares the personal struggles and epiphanies that shaped her intense need to understand the different flavors of compassion fatigue experien…

Are you or someone you love struggling with an incurable disease like Parkinson's, or ALS, or Alzheimer's, or cancer? Did you know that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and businesses were asked to shut down to accommodate social distancing, that research institutions also shut down? They did. So, what do you think happened to those ongoing, essenti…

A podcast hosted by Dr. Cindy Buckmaster and the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) dedicated to open discussion about animal research: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Cindy explores the deep truths, so we can make compassionate choices for people and animals to shape our medical future together. Support the Show.…