An animal rights group called Beijing Loving Animal Foundation has requested the government to block an initial public offering by a company called Fujian Guizhentang Pharmaceutical.So, why is an animal rights group taking action against a pharmaceutical company.Guizhentang is a company that extracts liver bile from bears for use in traditional Chinese medicine.Bear bile contains a special acid, which practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine say can not only reduce fever, but also improve eyesight and eliminate stones in the gall bladder.But, Beijing Loving Animal Foundation says, "extraction of bile causes massive physical and psychological harm to the bears while, Guizhentang says it can extract bile without causing any discomfort.Still, others like Jia Youling, the former president of the Chinese Veterinary Medical Association, say this so-called painless extraction still requires inserting a tube into the bear's gall bladder.It is a procedure that exposes the bear's organs to open air and thus to the risk of infection.And the animal group also contends a synthetic alternative to bear bile does exist.Back in 2012, the bear bile company's plans for an IPO suffered a setback after a public backlash.Internet users posted thousands of comments critical of the company on Weibo.The Beijing Loving Animal Foundation sent the China Securities Regulatory Commission a petition signed by more than 70 celebrities to oppose the listing.
