Animal testing is a process of using animals in conducting scientific experiments (Christopher 14). The practice is also widely referred to as animal research or animal experimentation. In efforts to understand how the human body reacts and behaves in different conditions, animals are used as an experimental substitute in finding or establishing relevant solutions related to items or substances that humans use on a day to day basis such as cosmetics, household merchandise, food preservatives, industrial chemicals, supplements, and medication (Hackman 92). The tests that involve animals largely take place in medical schools, establishments of military defense, Universities, laboratories and in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Most …show more content…
The supporters of this concept argue that computers can be unreliable in giving accurate results or information on issues related to cells, environment or molecules (Christopher 17). Animal testing has therefore been used to give very reliable and substantial scientific information in the last century. On the other hand, opponents or individuals who challenge the concept of animal experimentation argue that animals, like humans, feel and experience pain and should not be subjected to unnecessary pain and suffering. Furthermore, they posit that animals used for research are often subjected to cruel and traumatizing conditions, therefore, negating fundamental animal rights. Moreover, other arguments indicate that animals should be respected because they have natural rights just like all other beings (Hackman …show more content…
Despite the fact that the scientific world continues to embrace the use of animal testing, many scientists consider this act barbaric and ruthless (Food and Drug Administration 34). They go ahead to argue that the reliability and validity of this method are significantly questionable because to use an animal to predict how a certain product will react to human beings has a lot of uncertainty. In addition to that, some drugs may work excellently in animals and terribly fail in human beings. A good example is Thalidomide in Germany in the 1970s, which had been tested on a number of animals in their thousands and was declared safe for human use and released in the market in 1950s. It was a highly rated sedative for breastfeeding and pregnant mothers because the scientists involved argued that it affects neither the mother nor the child (Hackman 123). Never the less, most children whose mothers had embraced the use of Thalidomide were born with extreme deformation across the world. Another good example on how unreliable animal experiments are is Clioquinol. This drug was declared safe in stopping or controlling diarrhea in 1970s in Japan. Ironically, this drug was a catalyst in causing diarrhea and as a result many people died in thousands and many others remained blind. In addition to the examples above, the medical journal in Britain evaluated a number of scientific reviews concerning the
The first argument claims that animal research plays a vital role in virtually every major medical advances in this last century for both human health and veterinary health (Trull, 2014). The first premise says that animal research was a vital role for all medical advances, which is fact-based. However, it is not true because there are medical discoveries that are founded without the use of animal testing such as clinical research. The second premise states that medical treatments have advanced in the last century, which is fact based. This is true because there are medical breakthroughs of different discoveries throughout the time from the help of animal testing. Therefore, the conclusion states that animal research contribute for both human health and veterinary health. The fallacy used for this argument is appeal to
Animal testing remains a controversial subject and objections have been present virtually since its beginning. Over the past decades, medical and cosmetic companies have increased the number of animals in labs to test the effectiveness of their products. It is undeniable that animal testing has contributed to our advances in the fields of science; however, this method is not always requisite. Many times, animal data is unreliable because the anatomic, metabolic, and cellular differences between animals and people which may mislead researchers into disregard potential cures and treatments. Commonly animals used in experiments are forced to a prolonged periods of physical restraints, inhalation, and food and water deprivation. Large numbers of
According to the Center for Disease Control “Thirty thousand, five hundred (30,500) people were diagnosed with a case of acute hepatitis C virus in 2014,” this number is staggering compared to the sister viruses, A and B. With this number in mind, animal testing becomes a vital method to treat and/or find a cure for diseases like hepatitis. The Foundation for Biomedical Research states “every major medical advance of the last century is thanks to animal testing,” from the simplest tests such as antibiotics, to more extreme test like organ transplants. Many activists claim that the research performed cannot be applied to human treatment, but every year, millions of lives would be lost if that was true. With the halt of testing, hope to cure
Throughout history animals have been used for biomedical research and commercial testing, but has recently become severely criticized and banned in multiple countries. Millions of animals are locked inside cages across the nation waiting in fear of what next painful procedure they must go through. Determining whether the act is morally acceptable or not has been up for debate since 500 BC when philosophers Aristotle and Bentham shared their viewpoints. Aristotle believed that animals were below humans and therefore could be used for human sake, while Bentham believed that both animals and humans have rights that shall be considered. The topic of animal testing typically arouses emotion and is two sided. While analyzing this topic, I will reference
21st century animal rights debates can be traced back to the ancient world and the beginning of society. The great greek philosopher Aristotle, argued that animals lacked reason and that humans were at the top of the natural world. But in modern times, arguments are based upon the humane treatment of animals, both physically and psychologically. The pro-animal rights nutjobs will tell you that animal testing is cruel and inhumane, that there are other alternatives available to researchers that can replace animal testing, and that animals are so different from human beings the results of the experiments are usually irrelevant. But that is simply, not the case.
Jeremy Bentham, an 18th century English philosopher, once said, “The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?” Peter Singer’s 1975 book Animal Liberation: A New Ethics for Our Treatment of Animals, in which he discusses animal suffering, rights, and equality, prompted the discussion of animal cruelty and experimentation in the cosmetics and medical industry. Industries should not test their products on animals because it is unethical and there are alternative methods that prove to be more accurate. Technology permits researchers to create alternative tests that deliver more accurate results.
The topic of animal testing is constantly being argued about. Many are for it because of the benefits it has brought while others are against it because animals are being harmed in the process. There are many tests happening every day, but did you know it is estimated to be more than 115 million animals world wide being tested on? (Humane Society International, 2012.) This topic is very important because many of the animals being used do not have any simlilarites to humans, thus making the products (medications, cosmetics, etc.) not very useful for people. Although some claim that testing on animals is the only way for scientists to test and see if the substances being made will harm people, but that is not the case. There are several alternatives
Animal testing is widely done for research purposes to understand how a product behaves on human body. It is usually conducted in universities, research laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and some facilities designed for experimenting. Animal testing has been going on for a significant time frame, since ages. The myth that experimenting on animals is one of the ways to obtain the accurate results of the products that humans use is the primary root cause for animal testing.Animals are used for research purposes as a tool to understand effects of medical experiments. Moreover, experiments are done on animals like cats, mice, dogs, rabbits and monkeys to obtain different products like vaccines, antibiotics, and cosmetics, which are used in medical treatments,
Animal testing has been around for along time . Some people are for animal testing and some are against animal testing.I think animal testing should be aloud because it helps with people's medicine. Many modern advancements are from animal testing and advanced organ transplant methods.
As we all know recently animals testing has been a controversial topic in the daily newspapers or social website, especially the argument from antivivisectionist or animal’s protector with some scientists who are doing the animals test or zoologist.
“The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?” once said Jeremy Bentham. Ninety-five percent of animals used in experiments are not protected by the federal Animal Welfare Act. (“Footnotes & Sources-Animal Testing”1, 3). This means animals suffer through inhuman and cruel pain, animals do not reliably predict results in human beings, and it’s more expensive than alternative methods. Also the animal welfare act has not succeeded in preventing horrific cases.
In the opinionated world we live in today, a very controversial topic is upon animal testing. Animal testing is also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing. It is the use of animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study. This study often gets confused with field studies in which animals are observed in their natural environments. Experimental research with animals is usually conducted in universities, medical schools, pharmaceutical companies, defense establishments, and commercial facilities that provide animal-testing services to industry. The aim of animal testing differs on a continuum from pure research, done with little regard to the uses to which understanding may be put, to applied research, which may focus on answering some question of great practical importance, such as finding a cure for a disease. Examples of applied research include testing, breeding, defense research, and toxicology, including cosmetics testing. For educational purposes, animal testing is sometimes a component of biology or psychology courses. The practice is regulated to varying degrees in different countries.
Since 1922 various animals have been used for experimentation regarding cosmetics, medicine, and genetic modification. The idea of testing on animals opposed to humans was applied because it allowed us to test different products to insure their use is safe, but it protected humans from suffering possible consequences. Testing on animals was thought to be an extraordinary advancement, which could be used in the humans benefit. However, this once glorified discovery, may not be as beneficial as first thought. “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has noted that 92 percent of all drugs that are shown to be safe and effective in animal tests fail in human trials because they don't work or are dangerous. And of the small percentage that are approved for human use, half are relabeled because of side effects that were not identified in animal tests.” (Greenhaven Press) This comment from the Federal Drug Administration explains that in fact, that more than 92% of test fail or contain errors when turned to human usage. Perhaps, the reason for the unreliable tests is because humans and the animals that are used for testing, are completely different species. An example of this is that humans only share about 67% homologous genes with mice, an animal commonly used in animal testing. Meaning, 33% of homologous genes mice pertain, are different than a human’s. This leaves room for those medical errors and reactions that can be harmful to humans. In the article “Problems with Animal Research” edited by Sylvia Engdahl, they
Many people may think about animal testing after being asked about drug testing. “Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments that seek to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system under study,” (Wikipedia). It is easy to think of it because scientists doing research on animal subjects to satisfy human’s wish which is finding a good way for human’s health especially cure for diseases. Here exists an arguable issue which is whether should animal testing be banned. However, I will say that animal testing should not be banned for ethical, medical reasons and animal themselves.
With the technology and social development, the animal testing is common and widely used in lots of industry. The debate about whether animal testing is fair or not last for decades. My position is that animal testing is fair. Animal testing could be used in psychology research. In most of the time, animal has the similar thinking process as human, which could be applied to analysis human behavior. Also in pharmaceutical industry, animal testing can reduce the death of human life in new drug development. In law of nature, human is on the top of the food chain. Human consumes animals for surviving reason. This is the fact that anyone could not reject or ignore. However, the opposing voice comes from some organization likes the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). They believe that animals have the same right as human in term of ethical treatment. They did not encourage the animals testing in psychology research. They hold the position that animal testing is unfair. For most general people, they think animals are so cute and should be our friends. Thus they should not be used for testing reason. I will illustrate three points to support the argument that the animal testing is fair.