Pros And Cons Of Cosmetic Animal Testing

In the 1930s and 1940s, an inhumane form of science rose to prominence in the scientific realm under the branch of scientific testing known as animal testing (Hajar). Over the years, as society and science progressed, animal testing did as well. The use of animal testing became ubiquitous in the scientific community and utilized in a variety of industries including the medical, cosmetic, and many more. However, recently, cosmetic animal testing has been garnering a significant amount of interest both among scientists and animal activists due to a number of cons that call into question whether or not cosmetic animal testing is necessary. However, after much research, one can come to the conclusion that the use of animal testing for cosmetic
First, difference in species causes differences in anatomy, organ structure and function, toxin metabolism, chemical and drug absorption, and mechanisms of DNA repair (Neavs). For instance, penicillin is poisonous for guinea pigs, aspirin is toxic for cats, and the recalled weight loss drug “phen-fen” caused no heart damage in animals, while it did in humans (Neavs). Another example was seen in 1933, when a 53-year-old woman used an eyebrow/eyelash dye known as Lash Lure that had been guaranteed safe by animal testing and upon applying the dye she became blind and contracted a staph infection and died (Horne). Along with a series of alarming cases of inaccurate results of cosmetic animal testing, the FDA also reports that ninety two percent of drugs approved by animal testing fail to receive approval for human use
On the other side of the world, many countries’ unions, like the EU (European Union), have already banned cosmetic animal testing in 2004 (Baetz). The ban placed by the EU has been considered by many animal activists and animal right’s supporters to be a huge stride in ending animals’ unnecessary suffering, and Europe now has the honor of being the world’s largest cruelty-free cosmetics market (Baetz). Due to the European’s advocacy for cruelty-free cosmetics, their demand for the end of animal testing among the American cosmetic and personal care product industries has resulted in the reduced use of animal testing by American industries in order to keep overseas business