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In everyday language, the term ‘volunteer’ is often replaced by ‘guinea pig’. Why?
What is a guinea pig?
In the literal sense, the guinea pig is a small, South American rodent that has been domesticated for millennia. It is also known as a “cavy”.
How is it related to medical research?
It refers to the guinea pigs used in laboratories for medical research. Although it is sometimes the object of protests, animal testing is indispensable to medical progress (both human and veterinary). It is now strictly regulated to prevent abuse. In fact, the guinea pig is not widely used in laboratories. It is used much less often than rats and mice.
Where does the term “human guinea pig” come from . . . ?
By analogy, volunteers for medical research are called "guinea pigs". This term has a connotation that is sometimes comical and sometimes pejorative ("human guinea pigs"). Translating the same analogy into French, the term for volunteers becomes "cobayes" or "cochons d'Inde" — two names for the same animal.
The Volterys position
The expression "guinea pig" has existed for a long time and will not disappear from everyday language by waving a magic wand. That is why Volterys has chosen to use the term "guinea pig" without taboos or hypocrisy. We have even made it our mascot!
Medical research needs "guinea pigs" to advance. But of course, not under just any conditions. One of the main objectives of Volterys is to inform the candidates for "guinea pig" of their rights and of the ethical rules that all experiments must respect.
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