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Animal Testing Benefits

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Testing on animals has been a method used for human advancement for thousands of years. The surgery that is conducted on living beings in known as vivisection; this practice has been dated back to the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans alike, using various procedures prior to the application on human subjects. Thanks to the help of these animals, countless people have been able to survive previously untreatable diseases due to the remarkable medical advances that have been developed. Diabetes, tuberculosis, and polio are a few to name within the myriad of other medical breakthroughs. “Animal experimentation, combined with the dissection of dead humans, allowed the scientists to learn about how the human body works and ultimately led …show more content…

The use of animals for scientific experimentation has greatly contributed to various life-saving treatments and cures for diseases and minor illnesses that would cause irreversible side effects and even death. Take the poliovirus for example. In the early to mid twentieth century this virus was crippling and killing countless people every year. Thanks to animal research, this virus has practically been eradicated from the world. Another previously mentioned disease that has been able to be treated with ease now do to animal research is diabetes. “Over 1 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year, and based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to nearly 225,000 deaths in 2002 alone” (AALAS Foundation, online). As the AALAS states, dogs played a pivotal role in the advancements of insulin treatment, because insulin helps regulate blood sugar levels. “Animal research not only produced new vaccines for the treatment of infectious disease, it also led to the development of antibacterial and antibiotic drugs” (Botting and Morrison, p. 84). With these facts, it is clear the use of animal research plays a crucial role for human life. But what about the animals’ lives? They too have benefited from the advancements of animal research. According to the Southwest Association for Education in Biomedical …show more content…

One such alternative method is in vitro. In vitro is a form of research that takes place outside of a living organism, such as in a test tube. Using such methods allows for the researcher to observe cell cultures outside of the animal, or even a human, without the invasive procedures. “In vitro research is particularly valuable for testing diseases at the microscopic level at which diseases manifest” (DeMello, p. 187). With that being said, it is argued that this type of research is more beneficial due to its cellular observation, rather than possible asymptomatic responses animals may

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