Animal Testing: Life Saving Cures

In our ever-changing world the race to find the best technological advancements has never been higher. Progress within the medical field has changed drastically in the last 50 years. “Health is driven by the technologies that cure the unhealthy. These technologies need to advance along with an advancing society. In the last five decades new and improved, less expensive, medicine has been produced” (Leonard). Behind all this advanced medicine are the technologies, or creatures, that are used to test and improve the medicine. Animals are used to test the drugs and medicine that are in route to be produced for human use. “The term "Animal Testing" refers to procedures performed on living animals for purposes of research into basic biology and diseases, assessing the effectiveness of new medicinal products” (Humane Society). There are people who side with, and agree that animal testing improves the lives of humans, and there are individuals who believe the harm this research brings to animals is unreasonable and can be prevented.

As of 2015, 200 to 225 million animals are said to used in laboratory research for the biomedical industry annually worldwide. Typically defended by arguments of reliability and human health benefits, recently the question of ethics and values placed on animal testing have caused it to become a relevant and pressing topic that has been more widely discussed and debated. First off, the laboratory conditions that are instigated upon millions of animal models for the sake of medical research has been said to be unethical and cruel. Additionally, it has been debated that the results of animal experimentation are unreliable across a wide range of areas. Lastly, animal testing not only leads away from the direction of resources from more effective testing methods but also prolongs the duration of time humans may need to wait for an effective cure. Therefore, the potential benefits of animal experimentation are greatly outweighed by the risks and collective harm of humans and animals which is why resources should be directed towards more human-based testing procedures.

We know that humans feel pain by reactions they experience when a painful stimulation is introduced. We don’t truly know how other preserve pain because we ourselves can’t feel that person’s pain. Animals have many reactions to pain stimulation as we humans do. There nerve system is very similar to ours, so why shouldn’t we assume they feel the same way we do.

Through the infliction of burns, wounds, and side effects, researchers examine the animal to study the healing process, and the infliction of pain to determine its effects and remedies.

many of our fellow creatures are more like us than we have ever imagined. They feel pain, suffer and experience stress, affection, excitement and even love…” (1). This statement can also be proven through science. Just like humans, animals also have “the same types of nociceptors… A-delta and C fibers...” (Victoria Braithwaite 1). These nociceptors are used to detect pain. If animals display many of the same qualities as humans and feel pain, they should be treated more humanely.

In discussion of animal rights, one controversial issue has been whether or not animals should be use for medical testing. On the one hand, some scientists argue that animal testing has contributed for many cures and treatments. On the other hand, animal rights activist contends that alternative methods now exist that can replace the need for animals. Others even maintain that animal testing is an essential part in medical research. My own view is that animals should not be used in medical testing because is no longer necessary now there are methods that are safer and have better results than animals do.

Throughout the years the use of animals in medical research has been a hot debate around the world. Although animal testing may be cruel and inhumane, thousands of humans are saved thanks to the research that animals supply researchers with. Animals testing have taken over our knowledge of medicine and treatments to a whole different level. Animal testing also does this in a cheap and effective way. Without animals testing out knowledge wouldn’t be up to date, in other words animals’ testing is good.

Every day, animals such as rabbits, chimpanzees, and mice take part of medical experimentation. “Chimpanzees share 99% of their DNA with humans, and mice are 98% genetically similar to humans. The United States and Gabon are the only two countries that allow experimentation on chimpanzees.” (The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada). What people don’t understand is that these animals contribute to medical discoveries regarding human health. Animals should be used for medical experimentation because they contribute to many cures and treatments that have saved lives, their genetic material appears to be similar to those of humans, they are similar to human beings in many ways, animals are the only organisms other than humans who we can experiment on, and the animals themselves benefit from the result of animal testing.

Animal testing has served many purposes in the development in medicine. Without the use of animal testing, humans would have no knowledge of the effects of a medicine, vaccine or product. The practice of using animals in research studies began with William Harvey's experiments in the seventeenth century. Harvey explained “By using different species to conduct his study, Harvey aimed to demonstrate blood circulation (Human Health).” Since then the abundance of animal research became the basis of medical, and scientific studies. Animals have made major breakthroughs in both the scientific and medical realm, however, the use of such testing is often considered inhumane and unjust. I will be evaluating

Given that the researchers are still working with another living organism, implementations for reducing pain included the 3Rs; replacement, reduction and refinement. The goal of the 3Rs is to promote alternative techniques and studies (Festing, Wilkinson, 2007). But replacing a specimen that is undergoing research and testing is more difficult to do; the researchers have to focus on refinement and reduction. Researchers would then also improve the animal’s environment and housing.

It is estimated that each year over 100 million animals in the United States are used for animal testing (ProCon.org, 2017). This is unlikely an underestimate as it is impossible to receive a correct count worldwide. Thousands of animals are to be euthanized from the complications they endure from testing. Animals are used to test scientific developments and commercial products. New medical and non-medical experiments are tested on animals to verify the harmfulness of new medications or the safety of a product that will be used on humans. Although the importance of animal testing brings more medical advancement over the years using fewer humans in experiments, it is still an expensive way of researching inaccurate results and at the same time, it is a practice of animal cruelty.

In history, animal experimentation has played a significant important role in leading to new discoveries and human benefit. However, what many people tend to forget are the numbers of animal subjects that have suffered serious harm during the process of experimentation. Each day across America innocent animals are used as test subjects for products that have little to no relevance importance. Animal testing has had many negative issues arise in society in a negative way. Debating over the animal rights movement has raised many questions and concerns for years. There is an ongoing controversy regarding if companies should stop testing their products on animals. Although animal research has been the cause of many medical breakthroughs, is it morally and ethically right to put animals in these kinds of situations? This is one of the underlying questions that must be solved before it is too late. When considering how truly reliable the results of animal test are, and the expense of testing will help bring new light to the problem. By simply passing a policy will not only address this issue, will help better products and medicine in the future.

Do animals feel pain? Do they suffer when in distress? Almost all animal research is conducted for better understanding of human diseases and illnesses, rarely are animals used for the benefits of animals. Is the pain felt by animals worth the advances in human understandings? I will discuss what animals are used for, why they are used, the ethical dilemma of animal research, laws relevant to the study of animal experimentation and my personal stance on the matter.

Animals in animal research and testing alike receive the highest standards of care, enforced by the law. Every animal research center worldwide give animals playtime, food, water, exercise, and make sure they’re loved and healthy. Also, all facilities involved with animals have a set of rules to follow called “the 3 R’s” replace testing on animals when possible, reduce number of animals in testing to a minimum, and refine pain received by animals to a minimum. Animal researchers even use painkillers and analgesia on animals to reduce pain. Animal testing is not

It is true that animals and humans are different, and animal testing causes poor test subjects for humans. However, animal testing also has related to treatments and cures because animals are similar to humans in some ways. First, mammals such as chimpanzees and mice are having the same organ system and DNA that work in the same way with the help of a nervous system and bloodstream as human do. Because animals and humans are similar in some ways, they have the same conditions with illness, such as cancer. Hajar notes that “researcher using animals is part of our efforts to beat cancer. This includes discovering the faulty genes and molecules that cause cancer”. Animal testing is the tool to help people to discover drugs. Second, people admit