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Biomedical Ethics Quizlet
What Ethics Should Be Observed In Biomedical Research
Ethical principles in medical research
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Should policies on chimpanzee use in biomedical research be revised, if at all? In the past decades, thousands of chimpanzees have been tested on in order to benefit humankind. Chimpanzees have been useful in developing medical research as they are the closest relatives of humans and have been subject to testing due to the belief that humans should not be tested on. Whereas others would argue against the genetic similarities between the two species as well as the cruel conditions of testing on primates. Therefore, chimpanzee testing must be regulated…
Chimpanzees are genetically more similar to humans than other animals, including the apes. They are noted as being 98-99% genetically identical to humans, which has been recently confirmed (NEAVS).
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The overall similarity when taking into consideration relevant factors is around 95% or as low as 93% (BAILEY). Therefore, there are genes in humans that are completely absent in the chimpanzee, or vice versa. Humans and chimpanzees share a common ancestral relative, but between 5 and 3.5 million years ago, there was an evolutionary split between the two species, and therefore, there were duplication and deletion of large genomic regions (BAILEY). Since the split, humans gained 689 genes and had lost 86 genes, whereas the chimpanzees only gained 26 genes and lost over 700 genes present in humans (BAILEY). Such a difference is significant as humans are not as similar to chimpanzees as believed to be; what works for a chimpanzee will not necessarily be applicable to humans. Even with such genetic differences, there exists substantial differences in the expression of genes which the two species do share. A study analyzed around 10,500 genes in the organs of humans and chimpanzees, with results indicating substantial differential expression in the organs, such as 34% difference in the brain and 35% in the heart (BAILEY). Genetics are the frontrunners in the argument for chimpanzee biomedical research, but the actual truth may be that there is enough difference between the two species that inaccurate results may be …show more content…
Chimpanzees and other animals do have a moral status, thereby causing people to not needlessly abuse them and have support in such cases. However, the question lies in how much moral status they actually have. Most humans believe themselves to be superior or rather be conservative and protective of our own species; believe in ‘speciesism’. As described by Peter Singer, it is “prejudice or bias in favor of the interests of one’s own species… against those of members of [others’]” (BBC). Humans are believed to be more self-aware than other species, and have more autonomous in their purpose in life. This belief is believed to entitle humans as morally superior than other animals, but even then, it is biologically natural to prefer one’s own kind over others, treat them more favorably (BBC). Thereby leading to the argument that animals and even non-human primates cannot be considered as equals to humans, the consequentialist argument that the benefits for humans in biomedical research outweigh the harm done to animals
To start, research shows that there are a striking number of similarities between humans and chimpanzees in context to their social behavior.
Chimpanzees are a lot like humans in their behaviours. They are extremely smart since they are able to make and use tools and weapons. The female mothers are very affectionate and protective over the young and the rest of their family. The young chimps are also very dependant on their mother for necessities such as food, shelter and warmth.
This article, titled Common Ground, written by Barbara Smuts, points out the main differences between humans and apes, such as our upright stance, large brains, and capacity for spoken language and abstract reasoning. However, the main point of this article is to emphasize the many similarities that apes share with us. Smuts goes into great detail about how human social and emotional tendencies are very reflective in the family of apes.
I observed chimpanzees in the Kimberly-Clark Chimpanzee Forest exhibit at the Dallas zoo. These African apes, like humans, are hominoids and fall into the larger category of catarrhines. Their scientific classification is Pan troglodytes. There were about ten chimpanzees in that habitat. Most of them were grown adults, except two children. They were robust and had black fur. The average weight of the chimps was listed on a display to be about 115 pounds.
Freedom is important in the life of chimpanzees to sustain a sane and healthy lifestyle. Being born and raised in the wild is where chimpanzees should remain. Far away from cruel research and taunted to preform in unnatural manners. As Jane Goodall explains, “. . .there is really no justification for forcing these amazing creatures to suffer for our amusement or gain.” Once a rescued chimpanzee is returned to their natural habitat, the glow seen in their presence is unreal. Stopping the industry that uses chimpanzees as entertainment and testing is truly a dire issue and more publicity about their conditions should be broadcasted.
Gluck mentions that there are many ethical principles researchers must follow when conducting research on humans, but no document exists for primates. He states that research in cognitive ethology and neuroscience suggests that we underestimate animals’ mental complexity and pain sensitivity. However, if a human is the subject then the researchers are much more cautious. Due to the lack of acknowledging animals’ suffrage, Gluck’s argument is that our moral universe changes. Primates feel pain similar to humans. Humans rely on the ethical code of conduct during research. There is no ethical code of conduct for primates even though they feel pain just as humans do; therefore, our moral universe changes. The conclusion considering our change in morals is an inductive leap rather than a necessary
University of California, Davis. "Comparing Chimp, Human DNA." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 Oct. 2008. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.
Chimpanzees are part of the non-human primate group. Though we share a common ancestor, evolution has pushed us in different directions. However this common ancestor causes humans to be curious about these creatures. As discussed in Jane Goodall’s video Among the Wild Chimpanzees we were once considered to be human because of our use of tools but once we observed these non-human primates using tools, this perception was changed forever. The question now at hand is if having the chimpanzees that we study in captivity makes a difference between studying wild chimps. These interesting creatures can be found naturally in the rainforests of Africa.
The United States government should prohibit biomedical testing on chimpanzees and relocate the animals to sanctuaries such as Chimp Haven, where they will live a relatively normal life and will no longer be experimented on. Chimpanzees have greatly contributed to our understanding of diseases and have helped medical doctors find cures in the past. However, with the advancement of technology the need to experiment on chimpanzees is no longer needed. Chimpanzees have been forced into dangerous, uncomfortable and invasive procedures for many years and have had to deal with the fear and loneliness that the research laboratories provided. These chimpanzees were not meant to be treated and experimented on. The United States has to declare testing on chimps as unconstitutional before it’s too late.
In her essay “A Question of Ethics,” Jane Goodall, a scientist who has studied chimpanzees for years, tries to resolve a heavily debated ethical dilemma: Under what circumstances is it acceptable to cause animal suffering to prevent human suffering? Her answer, however, remains uncertain. Although Goodall challenges scientists to avoid conducting unnecessary tests on animals, she does not explain the criteria by which scientists should determine necessity.
According to National Geographic, scientists have sequenced the genome factor of the chimpanzee and found that humans are 98.5% similar to the ape species. The chimpanzee is our closest relative in the animal kingdom; however, some people are not aware of our resembling traits with chimpanzees. Jane Goodall’s, In the Shadow of Man, describes some similar traits humans and chimpanzees have such as their facial expressions and emotions, use of tools, and diet.
Humans and non-human primates have many behaviors and characteristics in common. All humans and non-human primates also share physical and beha...
Primates have certain behavioral traits that are key to their survival which include their sociability. The reason why primates need to have sociability is because they need access to mates, food and help with avoiding predators. With that being said there are different types of social group in primates, which include: Solitary, Monogamy, Polygyny, One-Male Polygyny, Multi-Male Polygyny, Fission-Fusion Polygyny and Polyandry. The reason primates build this social interaction with one another is because it is a key element to their survival.
The last grade that will be discussed is grade IV that include apes and man. There are a couple of primates that are part of a superfamily called Hominoidea, which include siamangs, gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and humans. Humans and apes have a lot of things in common as far as behavior and characteristics for example Apes and humans are the most intelligent primates because they are reliant on of survival, they are both omnivores, as time went on their tail began to vanish to help with standing up on two feet, they both do not have a tail and even have some of the same diseases. Studies suggest that apes are more alike than humans. Apes can live all over the world.
This view, that humans are of special moral status, is constantly attempted to be rationalized in various ways. One such defense is that we are not morally wrong to prioritize our needs before the needs of nonhuman animals for “the members of any species may legitimately give their fellows more weight than they give members of other species (or at least more weight than a neutral view would grant them). Lions, too, if they were moral agents, could not then be criticized for putting other lions first” (Nozick, 79). This argument, that we naturally prefer our own kind, is based on the same fallacy used by racists while defending their intolerant beliefs and therefore should be shown to have no logical merit.