Dr. Michael Greger on Science, Public Health and Animal Agriculture |
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December 5, 2007
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| ©The HSUS |
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| Dr. Michael Greger analyzes the human health implications of intensive animal agriculture. |
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Michael Greger, M.D., is the director of public health and animal agriculture for The Humane Society of the United States.
In this first installment of our special series, The Science of Animal Protection,
he discusses the vital link between accurate science and animal protection.
Q: Why is it important to get involved in the academic arena?
A: Just as we need legal professionals to fight for animals in the courts and government affairs specialists to fight for animals in the legislature, we need experts, veterinarians and animal scientists to inform public policy on the technical aspects of our work.
For decisionmakers to make evidence-based decisions, they need to know the evidence. Unfortunately, as with the tobacco industry, too often industries that use animals have attempted to skew and spin scientific data in their favor. We need experts to point out the bias that may creep into industry-funded studies that can be used in ways that affect thousands of animals.
It is not enough just to have and state a position; we must be able to provide the evidence to back it up. Our credibility rests on our ability to provide the latest and most robust science available. The animals cannot afford to have their advocates using outdated or misleading statistics. Our arguments have to be based on the best data that exist.
The HSUS is increasingly becoming the trusted resource on scientific matters for activists, journalists and decisionmakers alike. The science is on our side.
Q: In what ways is The HSUS contributing to the scientific marketplace of ideas?
A: It's not enough for animal advocates to attend scientific conferences; we need to be—and The HSUS has been—presenting at them. It's not enough to stay on top of the scientific literature; we need to be—and have been—developing science-based reports. Writing white papers on critical topics for online distribution is important, but policy makers and opinion leaders are more likely to be swayed by arguments that pass muster in the peer-reviewed scholarly record, so we're thrilled that we are increasingly getting journal articles published.
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| ©iStockPhoto.com |
| Dr. Greger's research helps improve the lives of pigs. |
Q: Regarding your work in our Farm Animal Welfare section, can you provide specifics on what your department has accomplished in this area?
A: Just in the last month, we've presented at five scientific conferences. This includes one keynote lecture and two presentations at a conference sponsored by the European Commission, the executive political body of Europe.
In terms of scientific publications, a journal article of ours came out last month in Critical Reviews in Microbiology entitled "The Human/Animal Interface," which discusses the ways in which our mistreatment of other species is contributing to the emergence of human infectious disease. This month Biosecurity and Bioterrorism is publishing our review of the national security and public health implications of long-distance live animal transport.
Two more articles are currently under peer-review for publication in the journal of the United States' National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, which cover the environmental impacts of the livestock industry on global warming and deforestation.
In fact, we were recently invited by Dr. Paul Epstein, a director of Harvard Medical School's Center for Health and the Global Environment, to submit a chapter for a report he's compiling on climate change mitigation strategies.
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| ©The HSUS |
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| "Bird Flu: A Virus of Our Own Hatching," by Michael Greger, MD |
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In addition, this year we've been invited to write an encyclopedia entry and contribute to two library reference books. Also, our work has been published in a livestock industry trade publication.
In addition to submitting comments to policymakers on scientific matters that impact animals, we've presented our scientific work directly—for example—at the European Parliament in Brussels, the Scottish Parliament and the House of Commons in London. We just returned again from Europe last month.
This is all in addition to our presentations at academic centers, graduate schools, animal science departments, veterinary institutions and medical schools so far this year. Scientific arguments need to be more than formulated; they need to be widely disseminated for discussion and debate.
Q: What has been the response in the scientific community?
A: Speaking just for our department, over the last year our work has specifically been recognized and lauded in mainstream scientific publications such as the Journal of the American Medical Association and Nature, arguably the most prestigious scientific journal in the world. More importantly, we are seeing signs that our scientific endeavors are having an impact on the written work of other scientists who see the value and veracity of our ideas.
To read the The HSUS's reseach on farm animal welfare, click here.
Related Links
The Science of Animal Protection
