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.
Most individuals would be saddened knowing that animals were being harshly experimented on for human benefits. The testing of animals is deemed to be cruel and inhumane. However animal testing has saved thousands of humans lives. Some believe the sacrifice is worth the gains, but others disagree and suggest other testing methods. Ultimately, the question that arises on many different occasions, is if animals should be experimented on, or not.
Animal testing is not only beneficial to human but also animals, at least to those who are not used in the experiments, such as pets and endangered species. Along with researching for new treatments and medicines for
Hundreds of lives and millions of dollars have been wasted on research regarding human prisoners. The information gathered usually can’t be used because it is not reliable, and the tests done did not follow rules that were already in place. When scientists begin to take advantage of prisoners or abuse their rights, their tests become irrelevant. Since prisoners have little to no rights, scientists use them to their own advantage. Many doctors, before the Nuremberg Code and the Hippocratic oath were enforced, made advancements in medicine by these malicious acts. These people were hurt and tortured due to the things that happened before laws were put in place and enforced. Many other problems arose from testing on prisoners and some even continue to affect how studies regarding prisoners are done today.
Alternatives in animal testing has been a huge controversial debate around the world for years. Many researchers and scientists try to stray away from the term “alternatives” because to them, it suggests that no animals whatsoever can be completely replaced. 1 The CAAT, the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, is based on the principles of the ‘3Rs’: replacement, reduction, and refinement. Replacement basically means the way it sounds, the animals are replaced by other methods not involving animals such as in vitro techniques, which contain human cells and tissue models that can imitate real life organs of the human body. Reduction and refinement, the other two Rs, means to cut down the number of animals used in a particular study
In the United States, over 100 million animals are used for experimentation and testing every year. Most of these animals will either live a lifetime of misery and neglect or face death. A copious amount of controversy surrounds animal experimentation because of the way it is performed. Animal testing is done to test products for harsh chemicals, for medical research, and educational purposes.
Animal testing has contributed to many life-saving cures and treatments. Using animals for research has also provided major advancements in understanding and treating conditions. The California Biomedical Research Association states that virtually every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from experimenting and researching on animals (1). Some see animal testing as cruel and inhumane. However, others see animals as a chance to make improvements in today’s society. Animal testing allows humans to make advancements, not only in the medical field, but also in everyday life.
Animal research has been used for several centuries as part of experiments conducted to assure the safe use of medicine, food, cosmetics, and among other products. It is an important issue because it concerns millions of life animals that are constantly in danger for unethical practices. Animal testing has brought many debates worldwide among countries that are against this practice. I believe that the use of animals for such purposes is cruel and unnecessary.
Although many view using animals in medical experiments in a negative light, testing is necessary to develop new medications and to advance medical research. Testing has brought many advancements in the medical field, including lifesaving procedures and treatments for diseases. Also, as a result it brought forth ethical laws of animal test subjects and development of veterinarian medicine.
Animal experimentation has become a common practice among scientists around the world for various purposes, specifically including the improvement of human lives. With this in mind, to what lengths are we willing to go far enough to realize that animal experimentation is costing us our own humanity and compassion to the world around us? In the United States alone, there are over 100 million animals that are burned, crippled, or killed during in vivo studies in laboratories. In vivo is latin for “Taking place inside a living organism”. The studies inside living animals include various forms of animal experimentation that not only could be deadly but gruesome. Animal experimentation has gotten out of hand, and it
At many other labs the owners of them require its scientist to have to kind of animal care certification (Wade). At many labs they have a class that the scientist can take so that they are qualified to work at their lab (Wade). Most labs will also have animal care professionals on their site to take care of the animals. But sometimes, the caretakers aren’t caring for the animals, and they end up suffering from even more pain (Wade).
“According to Humane Society International, animals used in experiments are commonly subjected to force feeding, forced inhalation, food and water deprivation, prolonged periods of physical restraint, the infliction of burns and other wounds to study the healing process, the infliction of pain to study its effects and remedies, and ‘killing by carbon dioxide asphyxiation, neck-breaking, decapitation, or other means.‘ “ - Animal Testing
History provides ample proof on the benefits of animal testing. Experimentation on animals has been an efficient practice that has been in use since 500 B.C.E. Although some select animals may suffer pain, their pain is the price paid for millions of lives being saved. Without animal testing, many cures and vaccines would not exist today, thereby leading to the loss of many human lives. The suffering of animals can be justified due to the fact that an animal’s suffering prevents the suffering of humans. Animals should be used for scientific and medical research because the contributions they provide to the world lead to life saving cures, they are the only test specimens for humans, and they provide the most effective results.
Animal testing, although a controversial topic, affects a great deal of scientists and the work force in the agriculture field. This topic has proven difficult to communicate to one another about because there are individuals that believe animals should have certain rights and others believe that animals have no rights. Our group wanted to research this topic because we want to gain knowledge and become more understanding toward the people on both sides of the spectrum. Digging more into the research we found that cosmetics, medical use, and food are the most widely used methods for experimentation. With these research fields, people are finding ways to appeal to the ethics of the modern-day consumer.
Animal testing is known as animal experiments. This type of testing is driven to test chemicals, drugs, foods, etc. People say that animal testing is good for people because this is a chance to save more lives in the U.S.; then another part say that animal testing is bad because some of the tests that they do on them is not always effecting humans in the same way. To tell the truth, animal testing is good if wanting to save the population that we live in. All drugs may not affect humans and animals the same way, but testing is done on animals because their body corresponds like peoples. The good thing about animal testing is that it ensures human safety; all tests cannot ethically be done on humans, and treated animals give better test results.