OSU says Billman is OK - We say Billman Tortures Dogs

The Ohio State University has again gone on the offense to justify the dog experiments of Dr. George Billman. see article below
http://researchnews.osu.edu/archive/billmannew.htm

OSU is using the same points they have used year after year, ever since we raised issues about his experimentation. What is not addressed are the specifics that are in the PETA complaint to OLAW and USDA.
http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/osu_lab?c=weekly_enews

PETA reviewed the records for 10 dogs recently used by Billman and found evidence that federal regulations may have been violated, including failure to minimize pain, discomfort, and distress; failure to provide adequate veterinary care; and failure to euthanize animals who were in extreme distress.

Review the information on the POET website cocerning the hundreds of dogs that have died in Billman's experiments.
http://www.poetwill.org/billman_dogs_2007A0081.htm

http://www.poetwill.org/billman_dogs.htm

Will you be there on Saturday, April 25th 9:00 for a World Week demonstration?
http://www.poetwill.org/events_activities.htm



April 15, 2009
BACKGROUND ON BILLMAN'S HEART STUDIES INVOLVING THE USE OF DOGS
Recent accusations and allegations by animal rights activists about long-standing heart research studies involving dogs at Ohio State University have grossly misrepresented and severely discounted the scientific merit and potential public health benefit of this work.
The following points should help clarify public understanding of this research:

Sudden cardiac attacks are the leading cause of death in industrialized countries and account for approximately 500,000 deaths annually in the United States alone;


While considerable successes in treatments have been made over the years, effective therapeutic interventions for all cardiac problems have remained elusive;
Because people continue to maintain a meat-based diet.

This work, by George Billman, a professor of physiology & cell biology at Ohio State, has been underway for several decades and focuses on events that occur at the cellular level in heart tissue during cardiac events;
And that is the problem. First using cocaine - is it bad for your heart, then exercise - is it good for your heart, and now omega-3 - is it good for your heart. All issues that testing on humans already had the answer.

Billman’s work has led to the development of a non-invasive method of identifying dogs that may be at risk of suffering sudden death because of a cardiac event;
Really - stopping blod flow to the dog's heart is noninvasive? And if that is true why do so many dogs die before they even enter the actual experiment?

Those same noninvasive markers discovered in dogs have proven useful in human medicine as well, and have led to the widespread clinical use in identifying people who are at the greatest risk for sudden death from certain heart problems;


Billman’s work has shown that for people susceptible to a lethal change in the rhythmic beating of their hearts (ventricular fibrillation), exercise training can be an effective preventative therapy;
Again something already know by examining people.

Current work is focused on understanding the exact biological mechanisms providing that protection in hopes that it might be harnessed and enhanced;


Billman also showed that injections of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) were able to prevent the onset of ventricular fibrillation in dogs and work by other researchers has shown that the same beneficial effect occurs in humans;
Our point. Work on humans.

The exact biochemical mechanisms involved in that protection, however, have not been established and Billman’s work is aimed at discovering those processes. He is also investigating whether ingestion (eating) omega-3 fatty acids will provide the same protection as that gained through injections, since dietary supplementation is an easier and safer therapeutic means of treating high-risk patients;


There are no computer models or simulations available today which can provide the kind of sophisticated data that is needed for applications to human or animal medicine;


This research has been repeatedly approved and sanctioned by the University’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, the watchdog group on campus charged by federal law with overseeing all animal research;


Only about 30 dogs are used in this work annually, compared to the thousands which are euthanized by area pounds each year.

Like all research animals at OSU, those used in Dr. Billman's research are continuously monitored by board certified laboratory animal veterinarians, who also provide any necessary medical care for these animals.
Ohio State University supports the work of George Billman and researchers like him whose efforts continue to provide new hope for seriously ill patients and the potential for an enhanced quality of life for all Ohioans.
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Contact: Earle Holland, (614) 292-8384; Holland.8@osu.edu