Comedian and author Carol Leifer, who has written for “Seinfeld” and “Saturday Night Live,” is starring in a new national campaign to promote health charities that don’t fund or conduct animals experiments.
In the new 30-second radio public service announcement produced by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), Leifer urges potential donors to “Give and Let Live” by supporting compassionate charities that provide vital care to patients and advance research without using animals.
The ad introduces The Humane Charity Seal of Approval, a unique certification program that allows potential donors to quickly identify those health charities that match their values and don’t fund animal tests. The Humane Charity Seal of Approval offers a rapidly expanding directory of charities that fund only humane, human-based research or patient services.
“Animal experiments are no joke. Thank goodness scientists are finding better, more humane ways to develop treatments for cancer and other killer diseases,” says Leifer in the radio ad. For Leifer and many others who donate to charities, a key concern is whether their donations might fund animal experiments.
Most Americans object to animals being used in experiments, especially when more effective and humane methods such as cell and tissue testing, computer-based modeling, and simulation are available. More than 65 percent of adults recently surveyed said they would be more likely to donate to a health charity that had a policy of never funding animal experiments. More than 80 percent of those younger than 35 agreed.
An estimated 115 to 127 million animals are currently used in experimental research worldwide. But a growing number of scientists believe that animal experimentation is scientifically flawed for physiological, genetic, and procedural reasons.
To listen to the “Give and Let Live” PSA, click here.
The Humane Charity Seal of Approval is administered by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). PCRM promotes preventive medicine through innovative programs and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.
