Animal Testing

“Animals are important in research precisely because they have complex body systems that react and interact with stimuli much as humans do” (AMA 61). This quote directly correlates with some of the common household pets, which are considered important resources for biomedical and behavioral research. One clear example of an invaluable household pet used in biomedical research are dogs. Dogs are used for many types of research mainly because they have the same relative size of organs when compared to humans. “The first successful kidney transplant was performed in a dog and techniques used to save the lives of ‘blue babies,’ and babies with structural defects in their hearts, were developed with dogs. Open heart surgical techniques, coronary bypass surgery and heart transplantation were all developed using dogs” (AMA 61).

Imagine being poked and prodded with a needle, all to test for a new drug against

Thousands of each species are killed every year against their will due to animal testing. Most people are under the misconception that animal experiments enhance human cures due to the media, experimenters, and universities which exaggerate animals’ potential and the role they have played in past medical advancements. Researching thoroughly on websites, books, articles and organizations, I will prove the common misconception that animals are needed for human advancement to be incorrect. Animal testing is proven to hurt humans directly and misleading animal experiments causes humans to dispose of cures.

Scientists use animals in order to make medical advancements to help humans however, it is often difficult to get the same results in both animals and humans. The biology of humans and animals is not the same, although there are some similarities. According to Akhtar, in an article titled “The Flaws and Human Harms of Animal Experimentation”, “Annually, more than 115 million animals are used worldwide in experimentation or to supply the biomedical industry” (Akhtar). Millions of animals are used, against their will, to try to help humans. Although there are some instances in which the experiments have helped humans, is it really worth the pain and suffering that all of those animals have had to suffer. Akhtar also stated “Although it is widely accepted that medicine should be evidence based, animal experimentation as a means of informing human health has generally not been held, in practice, to this standard” (Akhtar). There has been some cases in which testing medicine on animals has benefitted humans, however this type of result is hard to duplicate. Often when a result is achieved in the lab, there are many influences that can cause these

It has been proven that “animal research has played a vital part in nearly every medical breakthrough over the last decade” states Understanding Animal Research, an advocacy group that aims to demonstrate the need for humane animal research. Animal testing acts as a huge help to the well-being and health of

Imagine being poked and prodded with a needle, all to test for a new drug against

In the article “Research on Animals: Unforeseen Benefits,”1 the author, Adrian Morrison (1991), believes that biomedical research requires the use of animals due to the “long term gains” acquired (p. 176). Morrison continues to explain how people who believe that animals should not be tested on are not thinking about the effects these animals could have in the lab. He begins explaining how he believes that research

” Today, more animals are being used in experiments than ever before: around 100 million in the United States alone” (3). Animal testing is now an international issue, and it is becoming a major story. Currently, animals are often used in medical testing, make-up testing, and other consumer product testing. Animals used in such product testing are often abused and suffer from serious side-effects. Animal testing can be painful for the animals, testing results are usually not even useable for humans, and there are other testing methods available. Consequently, animals should not be used for any make-up products or medical testing.

“An estimated 26 million animals are used every year in the united states for scientific and commercial testing” (ProCon.org). We are rapidly using up the earth’s supply of small animals. “A 2011 poll of nearly 1,000 biomedical scientists conducted by the science journal Nature found that more than 90% agreed that the use of animals in research is essential (ProCon.org). Right now, millions of mice, rats, rabbits, cats, dogs, and other animals are locked up in cages and are getting killed for scientific tests to create products and medicines. Thus, animal testing is cruel and inhumane to be experimenting on animals, there are alternative methods available to researchers to replace animal testing, and that animals are so different from human beings that research on animals often yields irrelevant results.

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.

Every year, millions of animals are subjected to experimentation at the hands of scientists, as well as, cosmetic chemists. Animals are often used in research to “advance the understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology” (Hajar 1). The use of animals in scientific research, or animal testing, is an extremely controversial practice; it has been largely debated since the seventeenth century. There is a large divide around the world concerning animal testing; while some find the practice harmless, others believe “animals are being exploited by research facilities and cosmetic companies all around the world” (Dunnuck 1). Even though it has proven to benefit humans in numerous ways, animal testing is slowly becoming more regulated and may eventually perish altogether.

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.

For years researchers in the medical field have used animals as a way of testing medical products without the risk of injury to humans. It has never been one hundred percent supported, but their has been many different reactions to the use of animals in medical research over the last couple years. Many different viewpoints have emerged as to why this form of experimentation is either good or bad. This is no easy decision to say whether or not it should be accepted in our society today or not. For starters, animal testing for medicine and animal testing for cosmetics are two different things. Whether people support this medical research or not, they are in some way sacrificing the life, or multiple,

Dating back to 2,500 years ago, animals have been used for research worldwide (“Should Animals Be Used”). Many of the first accounts of animal testing have been found in Greek writings (“Should Animals Be Used”). Today, the ethicality of these experiments is continually debated. Every year in the United States, approximately twenty six million animals are used for research (“Should Animals Be Used”). These tests are used to expand the knowledge of medical treatments, such as a drug’s toxicity and safety (“Should Animals Be Used”). Due to the multiple immoral practices, the world should eliminate the use of animals for research because animal testing is inhumane, there are new alternative procedures that can be utilized, and the animal

Animals are appropriate research subjects because they are similar to humans in many ways. (procon.org) They are essential for allowing scientists to learn more about human biology and health, and for creating and developing new medicines. (yourgenome.org) Animal research helps save and preserve lives. Animals themselves gain from the results of animal testing. Because vaccines were tested on animals would have died from rabies. Infections, hepatitis viruses, and canine pro virus. Animals are used to develop medical treatments, determine the toxicity of medication, and check the safety of the products which are destined for human use. The research animals are cared for by veterinarians, and animal health technicians to ensure their wellbeing