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The Pros And Cons Of Animal Testing

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The use of animals in experiments at leading federally-funded labs has increased nearly seventy three percent in the past fifteen years, according to a new study conducted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) (Casey). Animal testing helps to produce many vaccines and other drugs, such as penicillin, saving many human lives . On the other hand, animal testing causes lots of pain and kills a large amount of animals used during the researches that many people oppose this practice. In this case labs that use mice, rats, birds, reptiles and amphibians are exempted from the minimal protections under the Animal Welfare Act. Although some may think using animals as test subjects is beneficial to humans, in fact, it is cruel to the animals and there are other alternatives.
Others may think that using animals as test subjects for research laboratories are beneficial to mostly humans. In most cases, medications for pets have undergone the same type of testing as those utilized for humans. According to Fisher, “Animal research has played a vital role in virtually every major medical advance of the last century - for both human and veterinary health. From antibiotics to blood transfusions, from dialysis to organ transplantation, from vaccinations to chemotherapy, bypass surgery and joint replacement, practically every present-day protocol for the prevention, treatment, cure and- control of disease, pain and suffering is based on knowledge attained through research with lab animals.” Without that testing, humans may be exposed to dangerous medications and surgeries. The history of animal testing has gone as far back as the third and fourth centuries. Animal testing pros include a longer life expectancy for humans, in addition to a healthier life made possible by analyzing the data from testing. With efficient and persistent research, animals can cure multiple human diseases as well as animal diseases, in addition to drugs and vaccines. Animals are used to understand basic biology, as “models” for studying human biology and disease, and as test subjects for the development and testing of drugs, vaccines, and other biologicals to improve and advance human health. “Without animal research, medicine as we

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