The Pivotal Role Of Animal Research In Human Life

Around the world, millions of scientists conduct their studies by testing their research on animals. Many people believe that experimenting on animals is crucial to the advancement of medical discoveries. Studies show however, that animal experimentation is brutal and unnecessary. There are alternatives though: “replacement, reduction, and refinement” (Howard 2).

Worldwide, there has always been a plethora of issues concerning whether animals should or should not be used for biomedical research. There are some advocating for the best and most-advanced medicine for the people; with disregard for the animal’s health. They believe people’s needs should be the first concern. However, others put the animal’s health first. If the animal is not in safe conditions, then it does not matter what medicine advances might be discovered. Biomedical research is defined as “The application of the natural sciences, especially the biological and physiological sciences, to clinical medicine” (“Biomedicine.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/biomedical.). Without biomedical research on animals, modern medicine would not exist. Animal testing has enabled the findings of treatments for cancer, antibiotics for infections, and preventatives for illnesses. For these reasons, animal testing should be used in the process of developing biomedical research.

One benefit of animal testing is that, though controversial, animal testing does save human lives. Without animal research, medications that are meant to treat a person with an illness or disease can, in fact, harm them instead. The medications can be life-threatening and can make the person’s illness much worse. According to NAP.edu, “These diseases could not have been eliminated as significant causes of death and illness without animal research. Animal research has made people healthier.” (“How Have Animals”). Animal research has benefitted the medical world immensely, by creating treatments and medications safer for those who need it. Without animal research, the medical world would not be as advanced as it is today. Not only does animal research benefit humans, but it also benefits animals.

Animal testing has contributed to many life-saving cures, treatments, and major advances in understanding and treating conditions such as breast cancer, childhood leukemia, brain injuries, cystic fibrosis, malaria, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, and many others, and was instrumental in the development of pacemakers, cardiac valve substitutes, and anesthetics. Using animals as research subjects is appropriate because they are similar to human beings in many ways.

Research groups do not allow abuse of animals in any form and they designate certain people to take care of the animals. All humans benefit from animal research in a certain way. Thanks to animal research, vaccines have been developed for polio, diphtheria, and measles. Chemotherapy treatments and insulin treatments were tested and developed thanks to animal research. With animal research, researchers were able to perform cardiac bypass surgery, perform organ transplants, and place stints through the femoral artery instead of open heart surgery. Under proper conditions, animal research can accomplish many things. Animal research can help humans understand diseases, create vaccines, create antibiotics perform surgeries to extend life, treat cancer, create pharmaceuticals that are safe to be consumed by humans and animals, and create ways to help benefit humans and animals walk easier or comfortably. Thanks to animal research, human medicine has advanced in extraordinary

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.

Everyone has benefited from the use of animal research in one way or another. My sister was diagnosed with asthma when born and without the help of animal research asthma would still be incurable. Experiencing this history with my sister I went into this research with a large bias for animal research. I found that research on animals is not a new discussion, “[h]umans have been using other vertebrate animal species…as models of their anatomy and physiology since the dawn of medicine.” (Franco 239) The ancient Greeks used animals for experiments with no question of morality ever being raised because of their “ranking in the scala naturae (the chain of being).” (Franco) Every major era came with a new dispute over how to handle animal

Interestingly animal research has created advancement in the understanding and treatment of conditions such as breast cancer, brain injury, childhood leukemia, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis and many more. Additionally, other people feel that animals themselves benefit from the results of animal testing. Millions of animals have received vaccines for rabies, distemper, canine parvo virus and other diseases as a result of animal testing and research. The issue with this reasoning is that there is not any regard for the animals’ life when there is alternative means of testing. The value that we place on the lives of animals should be the same as what we place on human

Animals that are put forward to medical experimentation contribute to cures and treatments that have saved many lives. The California Biomedical Research Association states that “nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from research using animals.” (California Biomedical Research Association). Animals that are used for these tests have contributed incredible discoveries on unimaginable areas starting on Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Heart Disease/Stroke, Diabetes, Birth Defects, and Spinal Cord Injuries. Animal testing has made medical discoveries to go from antibiotics to blood transfusions, from

Animals commonly used in medical research are rats and chimpanzees. Over time these species have proven to be plentiful and they have exhibited the ability to sustain the various testing

Going over many articles and sources, I have conducted an understanding research to help people realize the beneficially side for medical research performed on animals. Using Animals for Testing: Pro Versus Cons and Benefits of Biomedical Research are two of the several sources I used to conclude my investigation to inform people about medical research among animals. With numerous data and results, I will provide an attempt to prove why medical research should be conducted on animals.

Animal testing is essential for developing lifesaving treatments. Due to experiments on animals we have treatments for diabetics, tuberculosis, breast cancer, malaria and brain injuries. Immunizations against mumps, polio, and hepatitis has saved a countless number of lives thanks to the discovery of new drugs. Roughly ninety-five percent of all lab animals are special-bred mice and rats. The balance of animals that are tested on is rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, pigs, and fruit flies. Rodents are considered the number one choice for modern medical researchers because they have a short life span. They choose animals that have a life span of two to three years because that allows the scientists to observe what happens during the “fast forward” stage. Six out of the eight major discoveries were recognized with Nobel Prizes, some of which involve the bone-marrow transplant, cloning of genes, and the detection of proto-oncogenes in normal DNA. The essential need for animal research and observation is supported by health agencies and medical associations around the world.

Animals should be used for research and Experimentation because if the animals get sick or show any signs of acting abnormal then the scientists know it isn’t safe for humans to use. Animal research has played a big role in nearly every medical breakthrough over the last decade. Animals have the same organ system that perform the same task, which helps determine if what is being tested is safe for humans to use. Most of the medicines animals use the same medicine as humans like antibiotics, pain killers, and many more this helps to see if the medicine cures the animals without any harmful consequences then it would be safe and useful for humans to use.

Animals do have the ability to make decisions due to the use of neurotransmitters like dopamine and the development of prefrontal cortex.

Is research on animals justified? Both Aristotle and Erasistratus used animals for research. “Galen, a physician in 2nd-century Rome, dissected pigs and goats and is known as the ‘father of vivisection’.” (lpag-biomed for the layperson) In the mid 1900’s Louis Pasteur discovered that microorganisms where responsible for diseases like chicken cholera and anthrax. He tested his hypothesis on animals and his research helped discover the need for immunizations against infectious diseases. (Botting & Morrison, 2002, p.79) The National Institute of Health states that medical research benefits both animals and humans. Research on viruses helped create the Dog parvovirus vaccine. Research dealing with reproduction lead to breeding programs for endangered species. HIV/AIDS research aided the creation of the Cat leukemia vaccine. Animals played an important role in the