Vegans, how many of you would refuse treatment or medication?!
Answers: because the pharmaceuticals have been tested on animals? Does that make you a vegan of convenience if you accept treatment, but protest cruelty to animals in the same breath?
Let's put it this way. If I can find a natural remedy, I do that. If I cannot figure out the remedy, I will go to the doctor my insurance pays for and see what she says. Depending on what she says, I may try some more natural remedies or, if the discomfort is terrible, I may just go with her prescription.
I am very results-oriented... if I can feel better with natural remedies, I will do that first, but, otherwise, I will just get over the animals that died to set me free.
You just go and try to find a remedy for shingles really fast (there is a 3 day window) and then think about if your ethics preclude avoiding 6-8 months of excruciating pain.
I see the Common Sense troll is still on this topic. You sure like to ask the strangest questions with such moral values at stake. I would first refuse treatment of any pharmaceuticals, and try to find holistic ways/homeopathic ways to solving the problem that I may have (which I have already done, and have successfully solved the root cause of my sickness, as oppose to just smoothing over my symptoms with pharmaceuticals).
But if it came down to an acute condition that could only be solved with pharmaceuticals, say insulin for diabetes, then yes I would take it. Maybe I would do a little research and find a pharmaceutical company that maybe tested on cell cultures instead of animals and buy the insulin from them. I would also maybe say for my life, I would use the insulin from a pharmaceutical company that tested on animals, but off set it by trying to get them to test only on cell cultures and not animals. I would also still not eat animal flesh, wear leather, and support companies who produce food with animal by-products. I don't throw the baby out with the bath water, as the saying goes.
Nope. The point of veganism is to reduce suffering of animals and to choose alternatives when there are options. It's not about being a martyr and dying for your cause.
Your hatred of us is fascinating.
Your feeble attempt to imply hypocrisy in vegetarians and vegans for using pharmaceuticals and medical intervention is arrogant, especially coming from a person who eats and exploits animals.
I'm sure you've asked this before.
Same answer - being a vegan is about doing all you can to minimise your contribution to animal suffering and exploitation; it is not about being a martyr and sacrificing your own life.
Anyone who says they would refuse life-saving treatment is a liar.
I would not and have not. If the fact that I have accepted life-saving drugs that were by law animal-tested makes me a 'vegan of convenience' in your rather simplistic view - mate, I couldn't give a flying one. Better that than dying an agonising and unnecessary death . Life is good, and I want more of it.
rant