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The debate over animal testing
The effect of animal testing on society
List of alternative methods for animal testing
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Nowadays, there are countless conflictions and controversies regarding medical research, from among those highly discussed issues is animal experimentation or animal testing. Animal experimentation is a method used to experiment newly introduced drugs, cosmetics or even new food spices, such things are tested on animals to ensure that it is safe enough to be used by humans or for humans , but as noble the purpose might seem ,is it really worth torturing such helpless creatures for the sake of making a new eyeliner or food spices ??, this just seems inhumane even cruel , but what might be more cruel even vicious is the alternate way for animal testing which would be experimenting on humans , now that is truly inhumane and truly vicious. So why animals are being tested and experimented on??, nowadays we live in a world filled with numerous diseases and needs, and by treating such diseases we deal with human health, so for example a new cure is found for a disease, but when it is used to treat a patient instead of healing the patient it caused him more troubles, like allergies or has poisonous effect and killed the patient god forbid, so how to find out such things without experimenting first ?, so for those reasons animals are used to experiment on, especially in the first stages of introducing new medicine or drug , if it is proven effective or showed some positive effect , then it is experimented on humans , some people volunteer for this kind of experimentations to finally be certain enough that it is safe and effective enough to save as much human lives as possible. "The assumption that an animal species can stand as a reliable model for human biological reactions amounts to playing Russian Roulette with the patient... ... middle of paper ... ...created by injecting cancer cells into mice—can now be produced using DNA that’s made in a laboratory or taken from human cells. In the near future there will be a huge number of alternatives for animal testing , a more merciful and effective solutions , but in the present time we have very limited solutions either applying those experiments on human beings or animals , till the other alternatives and methods are proven effective and safe to be used in these kinds of experimentations , after all sacred human lives are the ones at stack. References : • http://articles.chicagotribune.com/keyword/animal-testing • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aysha-akhtar/animal-experimentation_b_3676678.html • http://articles.latimes.com/2001/feb/12/local/me-24351 • http://www.aavs.org/site/c.bkLTKfOSLhK6E/b.6456997/k.3D74/Problems_with_Animal_Research.htm#.Uq9ondIW2tp
The roots of animal experimentation began in the early 1600s when the world expressed in interests on the functions of animals and their uses in human life. However, it wasn’t until the incident regarding the drug thalidomide in 1960 did the government make it a requirement for drugs be tested on animals. During the incident, millions of women took the medication believing that it would be a source of relieve from morning sickness, not knowing however that it would cause irrevocable effects on their unborn children (Watson 4). Although the ruling seemed to provide a sigh of relief to some, the very idea of placing animals in strange uncomfortable environments and experiencing pain and euthanasia angered many. According to the American Anti-Vivisection Society, commonly known as AAVS, It is wrong to treat animals as objects for the purpose of scientific research, and to cause them pain and suffering (“Animal Research Is Unethical and Scientifically Unnecessary”). Although the arguments against animal experimentation seem credible, animal testing on medicines and products are necessary in order to insure the safety of human beings.
One must remember that scientists who carry out animal testing are human to and most definitely do feel some sense of guilt using these animals for the sole reason to benefit mankind. However, “if there were good alternatives to animals that worked better or as well, for less money and hassle, scientists would use them” (Source D). Many believe that animals testing is wrong, but they must understand that at the current time there is no other option. It is difficult to find a different practice has been so substantial and has improved millions of lives and society as a whole. Animal testing, though the testing on animals may not be the best option, the after effects of testing has been successful over the past decades and will continue on this path as scientists and researchers gain more knowledge. There may be a point in time that society becomes so better off that there would be no more need to test
Scientist are looking for alternatives to animal testing but there are simply no better alternatives available to them right now. Human testing is not even considered as an option. Giving up on using animal testing is also not an option because the human race would be all but eradicated by the pathogens it has created. The closest thing we have to a better alternative is stem cells. Once stem cell research has progressed to the point in which scientists can use it produce medicines to fight diseases, it will no doubt be used over animal testing.
Imagine if your pet was getting experimented on for a product you might buy in the future. Would anyone really want that product, your pet was in pain because of it? Animals are getting experimented on for products to get released to the public. Some companies are using vitro researching to test their products but not enough companies are using vitro as their form of testing products. Synthetic skin could reduce the amount of animals getting tested on everyday for companies to release new products to the public. Animals are getting experimented on everyday.
The ethics behind using animals for experiments and tests has been questioned and debated for years. Many people believe that animal experimentations can be crucial towards medical breakthroughs such as the cure for cancer, HIV/AIDS or asthma. Meanwhile others argue that animals that are used to test cosmetics such as make-up and perfumes are inhuman because is not going to help improve the human race. Animals suffer through multiple types of torture such as being forced to ingest poisonous chemicals, blinded, burned, stapled, and infected with disease viruses. Even though animal experimentation may be considered inhumane to many, animal experimentation is crucial to advancements in medical research and can lead to a better quality of life; on the other hand, animal experimentation should not be used to develop cosmetics because such experimentation is cruel and unnecessary.
Animal testing has been used for developing and researching cures for medical conditions. For example, the polio vaccine, chemotherapy for cancer, insulin treatment for diabetes, organ transplants and blood transfusions are just some of the important advances that have come from research on animals (“Animal Testing”). Consuming animals for research benefits in developing various treatments and also benefits in discovery better methods for cures. According to the article “Animal Testing”, it says that the underlying rationale for the use of animal testing is that living organisms provide interactive, dynamic systems that scientists can observe and manipulate in order to understand normal and pathological functioning as well as the effectiveness of medical interventions. It relies on the physiological and anatomical similarities between humans and other animals (MacClellan, Joel). Meaning that animals have the same body components and features as humans and is the best thing to research on to better understand the human development. Even though several argue that animal testing is harming the animals, one has to think back to all the benefits that has come from it. There may be a little remorse for endangering animal lives, but realizing how far medicine has come makes it worth the while.
Throughout history, beginning as early as 500 BC, animals have been used to test products that will later be utilized by humans (“Animal Testing” 4), what isn’t publicly discussed is the way it will leave the animals after the process is done. Many innocent rabbits, monkeys, mice, and even popular pets such as dogs are harmed during the testing application of cosmetics, medicine, perfumes, and many other consumer products (Donaldson 2). Nevertheless, there are many people whom support the scandal because "it is a legal requirement to carry out animal testing to ensure they are safe and effective” for human benefit (Drayson). The overall question here is should it even be an authorized form of experimentation in the United States, or anywhere else? The fact of the matter is that there are alternatives to remove animals out of the equation for good (“Alternatives” 1). They are cheaper, and less invasive than the maltreatment of the 26 million innocent animals that are subjected to the heartlessness of testing each year (“Animal Testing” 4). All in all, due to the harsh effects of animal testing, it should be treated as animal cruelty in today’s society.
Animals have long sense been a part of human life. The dog for example is thought to have been the first animal to be domesticated by humans, sometime around 13,000–10,000 B.C., from wolves. It is not known for sure how humans gained the trust of the Canines but in any event they did, and soon found dogs to be reliable companions. Animals have aided us any many ways, from offering protection and companionship. They should be respected and loved for loyalty; however it has been a very common practice to test household items, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products on animals for a very long time. Countless of innocent creatures are killed, or live a maimed life thanks to the endeavors of human scientist who use them to further there research. Millions of animals are experimented on and killed in laboratories in the U.S. every year. In order to preserve the life of valuable animal testing should be restricted, there are alternate methods that scientist can use to discover their answers.
Researchers say without animal experimentation we would not have many medicines we have today or the knowledge we have gained from animal experimentation to make scientific advancements (Badyal). Many of the cures that we have developed over the years are only present because of the research that has been performed on animals (Brooks). It was shown that a percentage of deaths decreased due to founded information from the testing (Brooks). Doing the research helps scientists get a better idea how to cure Cancer and other serious illnesses (Brooks). In the past centuries, medical research has only been possible through animal testing. Since then, however, many alternatives have been created (Badyal) that prove to be more reliable and have been used in vital research such as treatments to certain diseases (Badyal).These alternative methods to animal tests are said to be less expensive and to have more predictable
Every day tests are run on animals for the better of the human race. “Animals are used to understand basic biology, as “models” for studying human biology and disease,
The most important medical advances have been able to occur due to animal experimentation. Researchers have been able to save lives and improve the life expectancies for many that before were not thought to be possible. What some people do not seem to grasp is the fact that without animal-based research the well being of the world would be at risk, not only for humans but for animals too. However, laboratory animals need to be treated with care and respect. The number of animals should be kept at a minimum and used as a last resort if no other alternative methods are at all possible. Animal experimentation is essential for medical advancements and through the use of government regulations, alternative methods and humane treatment for the animals is the most civilized way to improve the quality of life for many.
There are many valid reasons why we should continue testing on animals. The life of a human is ultimately more valuable than that of an animal. Without animal research, there would not be the medication as we know it today. Animal testing has enabled science to progress and find treatments for viruses, produce antibiotics for some of the deadly disease, infections as well as preventatives in a form of developing vaccines to cure diseases. Moreover, the factor of moral obligations entreat the facts that there are excessive structures with laws in place to protect the animal from being abuse and mistreated, as all animal testing proposals must be approved by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. According to animal testing ProCon, the report discusses the following aspects. Animals make appropriate testing subjects due to their short life cycle which has provided scientist a significant progress in their research and animal themselves can benefits from the research which is directly associated to the ethical aspects to prevent the use of human subject.
Animals have held an important spot in many of our lives. Some people look at animals as companions and others see them as a means of experimental research and medical advancement. With the interest to gain knowledge, physicians have dissected animals. The ethics of animal testing have always been questioned because humans do not want to think of animals on the same level as humans. Incapable of our thinking and unable to speak, animals do not deserve to be tested on by products and be conducted in experiments for our scientific improvement. Experimentation on animals is cruel, unfair, and does not have enough beneficial results to consider it essential.
Every year, millions of animals experience painful, suffering and death due to results of scientific research as the effects of drugs, medical procedures, food additives, cosmetics and other chemical products. Basically, animal experimentation has played a dominant role in leading with new findings and human advantages. Animal research has had a main function in many scientific and medical advances in the past decade and is helping in the understanding of several diseases. While most people believe than animal testing is necessary, others are worried about the excessive suffering of this innocent’s creatures. The balance between the rights of animals and their use in medical research is a delicate issue with huge societal assumptions. Nowadays people are trying to understand and take in consideration these social implications based in animals rights. Even though, many people tend to disregard animals that have suffered permanent damage during experimentation time. Many people try to misunderstand the nature of life that animals just have, and are unable to consider the actual laboratory procedures and techniques that these creatures tend to be submitted. Animal experimentation must be excluded because it is an inhumane way of treat animals, it is unethical, and exist safer ways to test products without painful test.
Animals are used in research to develop new medicines and for scientists to test the safety of the medicines. This animal testing is called vivisection. Research is being carried out at universities, medical schools and even in primary and elementary schools as well as in commercial facilities which provide animal experiments to industry. (UK Parliament) In addition, animals are also used in cosmetic testing, toxicology tests, “defense research” and “xenotransplantation”. All around the world, a huge amount of animals are sentenced to life in a laboratory cage and they are obliged to feel loneliness and pain. In addition scientists causing pain, most drugs that pas successfully in animals fail in humans. It is qualified as a bad science. Above all, animals have rights not to be harmed even though the Animal Welfare Act does not provide them even with minimal protection. The law does not find it necessary to use current alternatives to animals, even if they are obtainable. Animal testing should be banned due to animal rights, ethical issues, alternative ways and the unreliability of test results in humans.