Animal experimentation is widely conducted for drug testing, medical training, education, as well as Research and Development (R&D). Over 100 million animals are killed in the laboratories annually, and they are physically and psychologically traumatised by experimentation (PETA, 2017; Live Science, 2017). However, the reality is that majority of animal experiments are unreliable. Most of their sacrifices do not contribute to improving human health as the medical treatments developed in animals rarely translate to human benefits due to the differing complexities between experimental animals and humans (PETA, 2017; Live Science, 2017). Hence, we argue that the role of animal experimentation in medical research is questionable.
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Xenotransplantation is the procedure involving the transplantation of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another, particularly from animal to human (NHMRC, 2017). The most widely studied animal species for xenotransplantation are pigs. Animals are genetically engineered to produce human cells or substrates, which are used to incubate human organs (Vermeulen et al., 2017). However, the ethical implications of such applications are debatable.
Since most of the animals involved in transplantation are genetically engineered (transgenic animals), xenotransplantation is viewed by many as an “unnatural” and inappropriate interference in nature (Manesh et al. 2014). Besides the deontological arguments, the consequences and complications of transplantation process lead to ethical issues. Before and after the transplantation procedure, the organ receiver must consume large doses of immunosuppressive drugs, which greatly affects their immune system. The lack of scientific evidence on the desired functions of transplanted organs on individual patients undermines the procedure’s
The demand for an organ transplant continues to grow and when an organ becomes available there are multiple precautions to take to make sure the body does not reject the organ. The certain anti-rejection (immunosuppressant) medication that needs to be taken before a transplant to decrease the body’s immune response from attacking a foreign object (the transplant organ). The medication also lowers the immune system. Therefore, the immune system does not cause the body to reject the organ. Statists have shown, that up twenty percent of patients that get an organ transplant, experience one out of the three organ rejections.
The audience for this paper is comprised of those readers looking to gain knowledge on the issue of xenotransplantation. This group of people is unaware of the dynamics of the ethical arguments surrounding this current issue. This audience does not have a specific age or belief, reflecting the varied positions of the argument. Due to this hunger for factual information, they do not wish to have someone else’s views imposed on them. Instead, they wish to define and establish a view of their own.
Ethical issues can also be a problem in some circumstances which could be things such as the welfare of the animals involved; the pigs are subjected to a number of surgical processes. Another concern being whether xenotransplantation crosses the human-animal barrier. The fact of these transplants could possibly is some cases be prevented by better health education (some people might need these transplants because of unhealthy diets or lack of exercise). Another negative could also be that transplanted organs could be rejected and attacked in the body if it cannot handle the unfamiliar body
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).
Xenotransplantation: a subject about which people hold strong contrasting views. Rare attempts have been made to transplant animal organs or tissues into human beings since the early years of this century. Curiosity surrounding the procedure known as Xenotransplantation has increased in the last few years because it is seen as one way of reducing the shortage of human organs for transplantation. Currently, this shortage strictly edges the potential of transplantation for treating human diseases. The worldwide requirement for organs is growing significantly. For example, in 2004, the United Network of organ sharing found that over 100,000 patients could have had an advantage from organ transplant, but only 29,000 were available. In 1963 Doctor Keith Reemtsma a surgeon who experimented with organ transplants. Thirteen chimpanzee’s kidneys were transferred into humans. Twelve patients survived for 60 days. One patient survived for nine months, so this option was considered a viable one.
The main concerns of the Commentary perspective were that although there are a lot of new strategies for cross-breeding; a pressing example would be a live organ donation which links the exchanges between extended families with recipient family members, live donation is only possible for paired organs like a kidney transplant. Beginning the search for other sources of replacement organs has expanded. The main concerns of the Attitudes toward Death perspective was the recognition that all living beings understand that both birth and death and may perhaps serve to relativize the request and/ or need for more organ replacements and that may help us to see what is at stake: on the one hand, there is a possibility of an additional lifespan for a given individual who has a lower quality of life and on the other hand, some intervention in the environment is necessary for all other living beings as well. The main concerns of the Animal Organs perspective were that the companies involved in the development of xenotransplants insisted that they are raising and willing to raise the animals in environments that were sterile as possible. Individual animals are then inspected and went through periods of quarantine before admission to the factory herd. The main concerns of the Risk Assessment perspective were that there may be a slight risk to present and future generations, or there might be tremendous risk to present and future generations, but it is rather hard to determine. The main concerns of the Religious Perspectives paragraph highlighted how successful xenotransplants would be about ensuring the quality of life that they give to recipients, how much human DNA is transferred to the animals and vice versa, and to what degree of suffering the process is understood to entail for all the animals
He claims “Xenotransplantation should still be given serious thought because of its potential to alleviate the organ shortage crisis and ultimately improve the human condition” (Sharma 25). However, Sharma also gives some insight as to why doctors should be cautious when taking Xeno to the next step. He states that “Violent immune responses have been known to occur in individuals where an incompatible organ has been placed in a host, with death being known to occur in a matter of hours”(27). Sharma’s statement raises thought of the possible risks associated with transplantation. One of the risks is hyper-acute rejection, where the recipient’s immune system quickly identifies the animal organ as a foreign entity and attacks it (27). Despite the risks being great, people considering xenotransplantation often have no other
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.
An average of 16 people die in Europe each day without getting the organ they need to survive. 22 people die each day in the United States without getting the organ they need, too. All of these people who die are waiting for organs such like a liver, heart, and other organs that will help keep them alive. The scientists looked at the statistics and wanted to start to develop new organs and body parts to save the patients that are waiting for them. The scientists thought they could start by growing them in a laboratory and make them out of stem cells. They have been struggling with the development of the organs and the progress has been slowed. Other scientists have another theory in how to create a fully functioning organ. They think that everyone should let nature take over and let evolutions happen. Evolutions has helped cells adapt to outside environments and turned our cells into complex molecules that help us survive. The scientists also think that they could use an animal's’ kidney, liver, lungs, heart, and other organs that are useful to keep ourselves alive. Those organs can come from animals, like pigs, because they have somewhat the same kind of organs we have. The only problem that can occur during the operation is that, when you use transfer the heart from a pig, or another animal, our immune system will reject the transplant. People who have been studying about growing human
For years, scientist have been trying to successfully conduct xenotransplantation, however it did not show promising results. Animals such as primate and pigs are the common animals used in xenotransplantation. Xenotransplantation is where the organism of a transgenic animal with human organism is transplanted into a human body. On October 26, 1984, xenotransplantation took
Transgenic animals have been tools of research for years. Some contest its ethical standing by arguing that the manipulation of animals for human benefit violates animal rights, treating them as property rather than living beings. As BBC news discusses, the patents placed on these newly created beings reinforces the concept of animals as property (BBC 2014). By treating transgenic animals as property, we inherently establish that not only do they not deserve rights equal or even similar to that of a human, but they are demeaned, maintaining minimal rights as were the different organisms from which the new one was created. In the event that a genetically modified creature maintains an intelligence equal to or even beyond that of a human, any attempt to use logic to reason the lower rights goes out the window. The dilemma then becomes how do we decide how much rights transgenic creations deserve. ADD MORE ABOUT OTHER ETHICAL DILEMMAS POSED. However, the bigger voices in the community have decided that their benefit to humanity outweighs any potential ethical dilemma, including the potential health risks posed to humans by the medical tools produced through transgenic organisms. Genetically engineered animals help generate nutritional supplements, create human transplantable organs, and assist with human gene therapy. Thus, in the context of medicine, genetically engineered animals are frequently (but not always) regarded as
Every year, millions of animals suffer through painful and unnecessary tests. Animals in laboratories all over the world live lives of deprivation, pain, isolation, and torture. Even though vast studies show that animal experimentation often lacks validity, leading to harmful human reactions, we still continue to use this method of experimentation, while many other less-expensive and more beneficial alternatives exist. Going beyond the issue of animal experimentation being morally wrong, this form of research is also hindering medical progress. Although the use of animals in laboratories is said to be necessary for the welfare and health of humans, people mistakenly believe that this immoral and unscientific method of experimentation is
The patient died nine days later. Another experiment conducted in 1984 attempted to use a baboon’s heart to save a newborn baby; the baby only lived for twenty days. The longest time a patient has lived with an animal organ is nine months, where the recipient received a chimpanzee kidney. The early failures of xenotransplantation, however, led many to believe that animal organs are too different from human organs. The recipient’s immune system recognizes the foreign organ and rejects it in spite of immunosuppressive drugs. Powerful immunosuppressive drugs are given to any patient receiving an organ, human or animal, in order to suppress the body’s reaction to the foreign organ. Without the immunosuppressive drugs, the body will reject the organ within a few hours after surgery (Natural Life 23).
The research and practice of Xenotransplantation has been around since the early 1900s, with doctors attempting to transplant organs from pigs, goats, lambs, or monkeys to humans (Biotech Learning Hub, 2011). Essentially, Xenotransplantation is defined as transplanting or grafting tissues and/or organs from one species to another species (PBS, 2000). Scientists and doctors around the world have been researching and experimenting for years on how to successfully complete this procedure without creating any risks for humans in the future. The main species scientists and doctors are now working with are pigs, for they are the safest species to use in their research since they found that they possess less risks for viruses compared to other species
The possibility of transplanting organs and tissue between species has long been a fantasy for many researchers, scientists, doctors and patients. Xenotransplantation has been traced back to the 1700’s when doctors tried to replace failing human organs with the organs from pigs, goats, lambs or even monkeys, however all of these attempts have failed. Pig insulin was also used to treat diabetics in the 1930’s (PBS, 2017). As a result of these consecutive failed attempts doctors were forced to abandon the ideas of xenotransplantation. Since then, medical professionals have uncovered why these transplants were failing, allowing the process to be revisited. If done correctly, xenotransplants can offer countless of individuals another chance at life, however many still believe that xenotransplants are not a viable alternative and pose a greater risk as they age. Xenotransplants have been commonly used for organ transplantation (replacing disease riddled organs), cell transplants (replacing damaged cells or destroyed cells caused by disease e.g. Alzheimer's), tissue transplants (skin grafts, cornea and bone transplants) and bridging transplants (provides organ function externally). The debate of xenotransplants continues to grow; both an ethically controversial topic and still in need of new findings in relation to the immune system. The student learning intended in this analysis is the discussion of benefits and/or harmful effects of chemicals that human beings use (C12.1).