Rita Walker (Blog Four):  By Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

There are different perspectives on testing medicines.  Does a person care singularly about themselves, see humans as more important and that the rest of life exists to assist them in surviving, or that all life is sacred and should only be killed for food and protection?   Technology is getting closer to ridding the need for animal testing and there are options for non-animal tested products.

https://www.euronews.com/living/2019/03/03/cosmetics-what-are-the-alternatives-to-animal-testing

https://www.peta.org/living/personal-care-fashion/these-companies-dont-test-on-animals/

https://www.quora.com/Do-biomedical-engineers-or-biomedical-scientists-involve-work-with-animals

As Rita does stability ball crunches while Zsofia checks her form she contemplates corporate greed.  Her purpose isn’t to point at a defined enemy such as a singular corporation or person.  If she has to define an enemy it will be a naïve and destructive ideology that sees attrition not collaboration as the ideal way of life.

“Tell me more about the Biomedical course you’re teaching,” she says once her oblique are too fatigued to do anymore side crunches on the ball.

Zsofia stands up and stretches.  “It’s interesting.  With modern technology we can evaluate what extracts from herbs can be used to cure a limitless amount of illnesses without the severe side effects that drugs used to cause to certain individuals.   Education is looking at being one with nature instead of separate.   Although my course is based on herbs for medicinal purposes we’re also using the technology to test soaps, detergents, and other cosmetic products without having to use animals.”

At the mention of using animals to test products Rita’s eyes tear up.  “That is such a worthy endeavor.”

“I know,” Zsofia replies as she lies down on the stability ball to do crunches.  “The more we understand how life works the more we can develop technology that doesn’t destroy it.”

“Are drugs like antibiotics still necessary?  Good form on the ab crunches.”

“Thank you,” Zsofia says with a grunt as she finishes her set.  “Yes drugs are still needed but we know how much to give an individual much better now.”

“How would you know?”

“Originally it was trial and error.  Now we can do genetic scans to know better how a drug will affect different individuals. “

“Like eating?” Rita asks.  “The same foods can affect different people in a variety of ways?”

“Yes.  Some people are lactose intolerant, others have food allergies to peanuts that could kill them.”

“Everyone is equal but not the same,” Rita says as she lends Zsofia a hand to stand up.