The use of animals to better understand human anatomy and human disease is a centuries-old practice. Animal research has provided valuable information about many physiological processes that are relevant to humans and has been fundamental in the development of many drugs, including vaccines, anaesthetics, and antibiotics. Animals and humans are similar in many ways. Animal behaviour can be as complex as human behaviour, and the cellular structures, proteins, and genes of humans and animals are so similar that the prospect of using animal tissues to replace diseased human tissues is under intense investigation for patients who would otherwise never receive a potentially life-saving transplant.
Medical and cosmetic research tested on animals are two completely different ethical areas. Cosmetic research is particularly controversial because animals may experience discomfort, suffering and ultimately die, all in the name of aesthetics and 'looking good.' Thus, it is this aspect of animal tests that draws an enormous amount of criticism, both in Australia and internationally. In fact, there are many who support animal testing for medicine simply because it involves the improvement of human health and the extension of human life. We do not, however, support animal testing for cosmetics because the cost to the animals doesn't justify the research, which is really about enhancing appearances for humans.
Animals are easily bred and maintained safely in controlled labs. Many people argue that animal testing is cruel. In some cases, this is true. However, it would be much more cruel to test new drugs on people or children, or to let people die because there was not enough information about a drug. Furthermore, legislation in most countries sets standards for animal treatment, and laboratories have guidelines to prevent cruelty.
Opponents of animal research also say that in formation from animals does not apply to humans. They point to certain commercial drugs, which have been withdrawn because of side effects in humans. While it is true that animal systems differ from human systems, there are enough similarities to apply information from animals to humans.
Animal rights campaigners claim that we don’t need new tests because we already have vast amounts of information. However, many new deadly infections appear every year and new treatments and drugs are needed to combat these deadly plagues.
Animal testing is needed in the world we live in. Our responsibility is to manage the animals in our care and balance their suffering against the good that comes from them.
The husbandry and treatment of laboratory animals has been and continues to be a major topic of ethical debate. Concern over the care and management of animals used in scientific research was initially raised in the 19th century in Great Britain, where the Cruelty to Animals Act was adopted in 1876. A significant step forward for both supporters and opponents of animal research occurred in 1959, when British zoologist William Russell and British microbiologist Rex Burch published The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique. This work introduced the goals of replacement, reduction, and refinement: replacement of animal testing with other techniques, reduction of the number of animals tested, and refinement of animal tests to reduce suffering. These concepts became the foundation for the development of scientific alternatives to animal testing, and they continue to guide the treatment of animals in modern scientific research. This theory by William Russell and Rex Burch must be integrated in the animal research system that Australia currently maintains.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Each year in the United States, an estimated seventy million animals are hurt and killed in the name of science by private institutions, household products and cosmetics companies, government agencies, educational institutions, and scientific centers. Animal testing is wrong and downright mean. Innocent animals should not be treated badly and caused pain for the sake of a human 's safety. Many people think animal testing is good while others think it is wrong. I think it is completely and absolutely wrong. Some people argue that humans are not necessarily superior to animals, so why should animals be experimented on and made to suffer to protect human beings? Do you know what animal testing is, what condition the animals live in, and what some alternatives to testing animals are?…
- 949 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Over 100 million animals are burned, crippled, poisoned and abused in U.S. labs every year.…
- 375 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Animal testing has contributed too many life-saving cures and treatments. “California Biomedical Research Association starts that nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from research using animals” (ProCon). Animal testing has helped save many lives today and come up with new cures for medical purposes. Because of animal testing we were able to find a new molecular and genetic understanding of tumor biology which led us to treatment that directly kills cancer cells. “This year, approximately 182,800 women in the United states will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer” (AMP). Alec Baldwin, who has broken with the PETA over the value of animal research in developing treatments for breast cancer told the USA that one cannot be ‘single issue’ when it comes to medical reassure. Animal testing was the reason for the development of Herceptin and tamoxifen. Which are two medicines that have saved many men and women’s lives today. It helps us prevent and give us hope to find a way to cure. Studies with animals determined with folic acid, a B vitamin, helps prevent serious birth defects of the spinal cord and the brain when taken before conception and early in pregnancy. Also, “research involving animal models continues to improve treatment’s for chronic complications including blindness, kidney disease,…
- 1183 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Everyday animals die in labs just so that you look pretty or young. Animal testing is when scientist test their products on animals to see if it is harmful to humans. Animal testing causes death to so many animals. (Ian Murnaghan). The people who are against animal testing thinks that it is useless to kill animals just to make you look prettier or younger. People who are for animal testing say that animal testing helps us save many human lives and find so many more cures. (Zoomshare). Although animal testing is legal, many citizens are fighting to stop killing the innocent creations that God made.…
- 540 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The major pro for animal testing is that it aids researchers in finding drugs and treatments to improve health and medicine. Many Medical Treatments have been made possible by animal testing, including cancer and HIV drugs, insulin, antibiotics, vaccines and many more. It is for this reason that animal testing is considered vital for improving human health and it is also why the scientific community and many members of the public support its use. In fact, there are also individuals who are against animal testing for cosmetics but still support Animal Testing for medicine and the development of new drugs for disease.…
- 578 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Animal testing has always been a dispute between people; some people think it’s morally wrong and some people think it helps with medical and scientific breakthroughs. Drugs that people use or cosmetics that are used could have been tested through animals before being stocked on shelves. About 800 animals are tested on before a drug is passed to clinical trials (“Is animal”). Many animals get tested on, but many like mice, rabbits, hamsters, monkeys, dogs, cats, pigs, and some other animals get tested on. Animals can be used to find new advances in medical treatment and check safety for products, but these animals that get tested on can go through pain and death. Animal testing is wrong and should be stopped because…
- 749 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Approximately, more than 115 million animals worldwide are used in laboratory experiments every year (Humane Society International, 2010). Animals, from the fruit fly to the mouse, are widely used in scientific research. Research is critical for the advancement of medicine, leading to increased chances of survival from diseases and improved strategies to prevent them. Without animal experiments, transplants, diseases, cancer, and vaccines would not have been advanced. The use of animals can be inevitable, particularly in conditions that require first-hand understanding of biochemical processes in and outside the body. Therefore, animals should be used for scientific research.…
- 1203 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
B: The LD50 test determines the dosage of a substance that will kill 50% of the…
- 707 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Medical testing on animals provides valuable insight for humans. Studies have shown that, “some of their bodily systems mimic those of humans” (Evans, Kim Masters). Because of these similarities, scientists are able to see the drugs that animals react to and compare…
- 400 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
It is obvious that Con organizations believe differently. Con organization also have five main beliefs. The first con they believe in animal testing is a cruel thing. They believe no living thing should be put to suffer because another species is curious. Although Pro organizations claim no animals are harmed the Con organization has released this statement to prove Pro organization wrong:…
- 334 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
There are some good things about animal testing; however, there are way more cons when it comes to using animals for research. Yes, animal testing has lead to many life saving treatments, but there are other testing methods that don’t require animals. Humans often make the misconception that we are genetically similar to animals. Animals are drastically different from humans, so they are very poor test subjects (Mieke). Drugs are required to pass a test before they can be used on animals, yet most drugs that pass the test are harmful to the test subjects (Mieke). The cons overcome the pros of researching on…
- 607 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Some people say animals themselves benefit from the animal testing, which means it is good to test on animals because we get more useful things like animal shots.Actually animal testing may mislead to researchers into ignoring potential cures and treatments because some chemicals that are harmful to animals prove valuable when used by humans. For example, aspirin can be harmful to some animal…
- 546 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Over 100 million animals are injured and killed each year due to the horrible effects of animal testing. Although all animals feel the same emotions as humans, such as feeling happy, sad, scared and even lonely. Scientists see animals other than the daily house house pet simply as mere tools for their experiments. Animals from mice to monkeys have intelligence and deserve to be loved and cared for just as much as an other animal. whether it be a pet or an endangered species. Many processes and procedures of animal testing involve the mistreatment of innocent creatures.“The traumatized animals, like human victims of torture—suffer from severe anxiety, depression, hair loss and other physical and mental illnesses…
- 853 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Scientist researches say that animal testing is the future to finding cures and helps them figure out what will work and not work on humans. Hence, it can help find cures faster and prevent more human death. Although some people believe that is true; I, therefore have different opinion. Reading through articles from different doctors made me realize that using…
- 314 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Over the past few centuries scientists have tried to solve the mysteries of disease through a plethora of different testing methods. The most popular method that is in effect presently is animal based tests. While these tests are the most commonly used, are they the best in terms of morality and accuracy? Animal tests inflict forms of torture upon defenseless creatures in order to discover the solution to medical problems. Testing animals provide, for the most part, inaccurate results, while cheaper and more moral alternatives exist. If the scientific community funded research on alternative testing methods instead of animal tests, we could do away with the inhumane animal tests and move on to more accurate testing methods that do not…
- 1201 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays