Cosmetic Toxicity Testing Using Animal Models

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.

Sure the final product may look pretty, but is it really worth it to test these products that could be toxic, on defenceless animals? When people go shopping for cosmetics they can never picture the product being meant for humans, being used on a defenceless creature such as a bunny or a mouse. The test are not as accurate as testing on a human. In most cases the animals are never able to live the life they were meant to. People using animals to test human products on is pointless for many reasons.

I understand that there are different forms of animal testing. There is medical which I can agree with. Then there is the testing for the "name of science". Then there is animal testing for cosmetics. To me that is downright wrong. This testing on animals for cosmetic purposes is a problem that needs a major solution. Even though there are the benefits, there are the cons to it, the horrible effects done to the animals, the countless lives lost, there needs to be a solution.

Animals can be burned, crippled, poisoned, and abused as a result of testing. And the list could go on forever. The way animals are being mistreated and tested on should be against the law. There is a different ways to do research other than killing and abusing animals. There are many alternate test that scientist can use to do there research without harming animals. Alternative test are defined as test that use the three “R’s”, a test that replaces a procedure that uses animals with one that doesn’t, a test that reduces the number of animals used in a procedure, and test that refine a procedure to cause less pain to the animal.(11 Facts about…)

The harmful use of animals in experiments is not only cruel and inhumane but also often ineffective. Animals do not get many of the human diseases that people do, such as major types of heart disease, many types of cancer, HIV, Parkinson’s disease, or schizophrenia. There have been past occasions where drugs passed on animals weren’t even safe. There is no excuse for animal testing in today’s techy world, there are now many alternatives for animal testing that would put an end to the pain and suffering endured by these innocent animals during human testing.

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.

There is a massive debate going on about whether animal experimentation for experimental drugs should be legal or not. Both sides question whether animal’s lives or America’s knowledge is more important. Several claim that animal testing is needed because many lives can be saved with the awareness that is gained from each test. Others do not agree with these people. They believe that animals should not be hurt because their lives are just as important as humans. One way to resolve this issue is to use the many alternative ways that are being developed to test experimental drugs.

Michael Shally-Jensen writes about the role of animals in medical research and the procedures done in drug testing before it can be released in the market. Shally-Jensen talks about the involvement of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that requires animal testing as part of the licensing process. In Shally-Jensen’s article he also pointed out the alternatives available in research that can substitute the use of animals such as tissue cultured systems, artificial human skins, and computer models.

Much progress has been made to end this testing, gearing the world into the right direction of animal testing free procedures, though, not everyone is on board. The United States have yet to hop onto the train toward a free animal testing future. The United States continues to test on animals for cosmetics even though there are numerous ways to test, without using animals, that are more efficient and effective than animal testing. (3D tissue samples of corneas made from human cells can be used instead of using an animal organ when testing for cosmetics side effects.) What is worse than the United States still testing on animals, is that there is continued demand for even more animal

This reluctance to change is especially unforgivable considering the current wide availability of superior non-animal tests. Instead of measuring how long it takes a chemical to burn away the cornea of a rabbit’s eye, manufacturers can now drop that chemical onto donated human corneas. Human skin cultures can be grown and ordered for irritancy testing. These and dozens more tests now in use today are cheaper, faster, and more accurate at predicting human reactions to a product than the old animal tests ever were.” With other alternatives available to test for irritation and chemical exposure, there is no explanation for the United States to still be using live animals for cosmetic testing. With some countries banning the use of cosmetic testing on animals, there is hope that other countries will begin to as well. The countries who still use animal testing as a way of testing products might recognize why the countries have banned such an act. When the cruelty of animal testing is recognized, countries who still testing with

Throughout the years, animal testing has played an essential role in leading to breakthrough discoveries in medicine, products, and cosmetics. Animal testing has been around since the fifth century in order to aid in studying the human body. Ever since, it has become the primary method for medical and scientific research; however, animal testing also raises several concerns. When it comes specifically to testing on animals, there is a chance the test results could be unreliable since they are inaccurate, which can not only waste money, but can delay the process for important cures and products. Each year across the United States hundreds of animals die from undergoing painful experiments to better improve the medical field. Although many great discoveries have come out of animal experimentation, alternative methods should be regulated due to the lack of results, high costs, and moral judgment.

Throughout the years, animal testing has played an essential role in leading to breakthrough discoveries in medicine, products, and cosmetics. Animal testing has been around since the fifth century in order to aid in studying the human body. Ever since, it has become the primary method for medical and scientific research; however, animal testing also raises several concerns. When it comes specifically to testing on animals, there is a chance the test results could be unreliable since they are inaccurate, which can not only waste money, but can delay the process for important cures and products. Each year across the United States hundreds of animals die from undergoing painful experiments to better improve the medical field. Although many great discoveries have come out of animal experimentation, alternative methods should be regulated due to the lack of results, high costs, and moral judgement.

According to People for the Ethnic Treatment of Animals (PETA) over 100 million of animals such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, dogs, primates an other kinds of species are tested on each year. Cosmetics companies say it’s a necessity, but in reality it is not there are other ways of testing, such as artificial testing. Some companies saw the error of their ways and they turned away and did other things. It is wrong to test on animals it effects them in many different ways.

There many alternative ways of testing cosmetic products which are more reliable than animal testing. In Animals and Alternatives in Testing: History, Science, and Ethics, the chapter “Toxicology & Toxicity Testing,” Goldberg, Rudacille, and Zurlo had found that In Vitro testing are more reliable in the speed of results, and control in the environment. In Vitro testing is