Premium Essay

Animal Testing Arguments

Submitted By
Words 777
Pages 4
Scientific innovation is based on trial and error. Experiment upon experiment is conducted in order to ensure that a certain hypothesis or treatment is valid or safe. However, there is a growing controversy behind the morality of certain types of testing; especially on animals. Scientists have been conducting experiments on animals for centuries, which has resulted in many medical advances that would have otherwise taken much longer to realize. Consequently though, a great multitude of people has begun to advocate for animal rights in this area. They believe that certain restrictions should be set in place to limit the amount of suffering animals go through or to do away with testing on them all together. Several of these advocates claim that …show more content…
They hold that “Pain is an intrinsic evil, and any action that causes pain to another creature is simply not morally permissible” (Source B). “[Animals in laboratories] are almost always subjected to isolation, depression, and anxiety” (Source F). These people believe that animal research is an aberration and should be ended immediately. While there does lie credibility in that animals should not forcibly be made to suffer, that does not mean that the solution is to get rid of animal research completely. There is reasonable logic as to why scientists prefer this method above all others. “If there were good alternatives to animals that worked better or as well, for less money and hassle, scientists would use them” (Source …show more content…
Countless vaccines have been developed to counter diseases such as polio, chicken pox, and other diseases which used to claim thousands of lives. This was made possible though, by testing different methods and techniques on animals, in order to make sure that it would be safe for humans. The fact cannot be refuted that using animals for medical research has saved a vast amount of human lives. “If all animal experimentation were stopped, the slowdown would be real and the cost would be high… A delay in developing a vaccine [for Malaria] by just one month would kill 225,000 people” (Source D). There comes a point in which it is justified for “animals to be sacrificed for the cause of humanity” (Source

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...Animal testing is a cruel way of trying to find results for human advancement. It doesn't matter if the testing is for drugs, cosmetics, or toxicology, they are all harmful and cruel to animals. I think a new way of testing should be considered when trying to test new products. For example, the use of human volunteers perhaps. People who are sick with the illness could volunteer their bodies so scientists could experiment on them, so hopefully they could find a cure. There is also the argument that the reaction of a drug in an animal's body is quite different from the reaction in a human. Humans could react differently to certain diseases and medications that are tested on. If scientist test on a human and that drug works then we can be much more certain that it will work on other humans as well. Even though animal test may reduce some negative effects and may reduce human suffering it still isn't right on many accounts. Animal testing is an unfair and excruciating process that innocent animals have to endure. It's morally wrong to inflict pain on one species in order to help...

Words: 580 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...proves to demonstrate sufficient results, the use of animal experimentation is still a controversial issue. Many people argue that it contradicts moral and ethical values because it makes innocent animals suffer or even die. As a result, social activists declare that animal testing must be forbidden on the legislative level, due to the negative consequences which it can cause on the health of animals. However, one cannot agree with the statement because animal testing is the essential condition of the scientific progress and innovation in the medical area. First of all, it must be stated that due to the use of animal testing, scientists managed to find treatment for some serious or even mortal human...

Words: 1420 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to research through animal testing. The opinions vary and the passion runs deep. Both sides have extremely intelligent people, such as doctors and scientists, that argue vehemently for their opinion. While both sides present equally convincing arguments, there are downsides to each and a compromise must be reached. Many people, such as Dr. Andre Menache, who has campaigned against animal testing for over thirty years, would argue that animal testing is cruel and simply not worth it. According to Menache, “if we rely on animals to predict human response, we will get the right answer only 33% of the time. This figure is based on the correlation between preclinical...

Words: 628 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...through the animal testing done in laboratories with the purpose of ensuring a drug’s effectiveness for humans. Though many may argue that animals fully merit their own rights to not be tested on, it is not taken into account how often animals are the best option for bringing revolutionary discoveries, since the help testing for drug safety and providing accurate biological feedback for the development of medicine. Furthermore, it is through the information presented that a...

Words: 1207 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

For and Against Arguments Animal Testing

...* 1) Animal testing is not the same as human testing : Animal testing and human testing have different effects and results. The reaction of a drug in an animal’s body is quite different from the reaction in a human. * 2) Drug testing on animals causes stress, pain and sometimes death: Animal testing is cruel and sometimes it doesn’t even work. Some of the animals are not even properly anesthetized so, they feel sharp pains and usually die. One example of animal testing is called the Draize test in which the product tested is placed in the animal’s eyes resulting in blindness and death. Another example of animal testing is the LD50 in which huge amounts of a product are put into the animals’ stomachs until they die. In this process they suffer from vomiting, diarrhea, paralysis, convulsion and internal bleeding. * 3) Animal testing is morally wrong: Besides producing suffering and pain, animals being tested generate high levels of depression because of being inside of small cages. It’s a proven fact that most scientists that do animal testing feel guilt and sorrow although they should not become emotionally connected with the animals. * 4) Animal testing is very expensive: Animal testing costs over $136 billion dollars annually for the American public. Animals must be fed, housed, cared and treated with drugs. The tests are very expensive and they may be practiced more than once in short periods of time. * 5) There are many alternatives for animal testing...

Words: 662 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Animal Testing Arguments

...Animal testing refers to experiments using animals to make discoveries in science and check the safety of products like cosmetics, food, and chemicals (HSI, 2004). Annually, over 100 million animals are used in scientific experiments and medical research worldwide (Taylor, Gordon, Langley, & Higgins, 2008). In comparison with the past, animal testing is now becoming even more prevalent. The quantity of rats and mice used in research has been increasing by approximately 20% per year and is expected to keep growing (Robert, Jacoby & Russell, 1998). The morality of this issue is currently being debated because conservationists are concerned about the animal rights. Hence, different perspectives emerged. Some people believe that animal experimentation...

Words: 1203 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...help us get better rather than make us worse. An estimated 26 million animals are used every year in the united states for scientific and commercial testing. Animals have been used for developing medical treatments, determining the toxicity of medications, check the safety of products destined for human use, along with other biomedical, commercial, and healthcare uses. The research and testing on living animals has been practiced since at least 500 B.C. Animal testing has enabled the development of many life-saving treatments for both humans and animals. There is no alternative method for researching. But it is inhumane and cruel to experiment on animals. Animals are so different from human beings that research on animals often yields irrelevant results. Proponents claim that animals are appropriate research subjects because they are similar to humans in many ways. 99% of a chimpanzee’s DNA is shared with human beings and mice are 98% genetically similar to us humans. Us mammals descend from common ancestors, and have the same set of organs. Proponents also argue that when it comes...

Words: 426 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...through animal testing (“Animal”). A main argument of animal testing is that they are so genetically similar to us that it’s appropriate to use animals instead of humans. Chimpanzees share ninety-nine percent of DNA with humans along with mice being ninety-eight percent similar genetically to humans, too. In recent research, it was discovered that ninety-five percent of the animals used in research are not protected under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) (“Animal”). Though AWA covers some animals, it excludes the very ones preferred for animal testing: birds, mice, rats, and cold-blooded animals like reptiles and most fish. It is said that in 2010, under AWA, 1,134,693 animals were covered, but that the other twenty-five million used for testing were not. Animal testing in the past may have lead to ground breaking medical discoveries, but as it stands today, animal testing is...

Words: 824 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Arguments In Favor Of Animal Testing

...Are animals really people too? Do they get married? Are they considered responsible for their actions? We give them names and human personalities on to them but we eat them. We domesticated and breed them for consumption and work tasks. We have used animals as tools for thousands years. All major civilizations use animals to eat or work or both. Animal rights activists will say that we do not need animal testing but we do. A large majority of scientists believe that animal testing is still the gateway to most scientific and medical advancements. Using animals for testing is necessary and reasonable for the advancement of science and medicine. Animal testing has led to many scientific and life-saving advances. That includes the creation of the vaccines of small pox and...

Words: 1921 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...Every year, over 25 million animals are used to conduct experiments for scientific and commercial research. Testing on animals have developed safe products for human use, which includes medical treatment, medicine, cosmetic, and skin care. Experimenting on them has enabled us to advance our approach to creating and innovating commercial and scientific products. People forget that the animals also benefit from these experiments. Others argue that it is inhumane and now that we have alternative options due to today’s technology, we should not be using animals anymore. Machines can replace the use of animals as well as prevent mistreatment of them. Opponents also claim that animals are different from humans which makes results irrelevant and therefore people...

Words: 462 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...Cheyenne Lozano Ms. Hopper EH10, R1 10 Mar. 2016 Animal Testing Many people think that animal testing is cruel and inhumane. Others think that it’s necessary in the medical field and will help advance medicine. It has helped with many medical discoveries, but it does have it’s flaws and hiccups that undermine it’s overall value. Though it still has some strong points, animal testing should be limited because animals are not suitable replacements for human drug testing, animal testing doesn’t produce accurate results, and there are many other reliable alternatives to it. Animals are not suitable replacements for human drug testing. The human body is extremely complex. Humans differ from animals anatomically, genetically, and metabolically...

Words: 784 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...Animal testing is using animals in experiments for educational, commercial or for the purpose of research. For centuries, animal testing have been used in scientific and medical research. Each individual look upon animals in a different way; some consider animals as their mates while others consider animals to be their subordinates which can be used for their own good. Numerous medical research centers use a variety of animals as testing subjects. During animal experimentations, some animals are experimented on to check the reliability of some medication while others are used to gather information about human behaviors in specific conditions. It is also used in testing of medications, medical strategies, consumer products and military weapons....

Words: 590 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...A very touchy subject on whether or not animals should be tested on. More than 100 million animals are killed from testing in the U.S alone.  That’s about 273.973  animals a day that die from getting tested for biological,medical, and cosmetic reasons. But why is this a thing, perhaps humans wouldn’t want anything bad happening to them and only to an innocent animal.  Just think of your animals at home, they are scared  going to the vet, let alone in a cage their whole life and getting nothing but tests. There are many reasons as to why this vicious act should be stopped immediately.      You’re  hurting an animal. That should be enough reasoning to stop. What gives you the right to test on confused scared animals. Some people believe...

Words: 477 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...Animal testing research paper Throughout history animals have been unfairly tested on. As early as 384 Bc animal testing has occurred (Hajar). In 1980 Henry Spira, an animal rights activist, took an ad out in the New York Times with the slogan “How many rabbits does Revlon blind for beauty's sake?” That is what started the campaign to stop animal testing. Animals are tested on to make products such as shampoo, makeup, and sunscreen. When you test on animals 50% of the animals that get tested die during the study. The ones who survive are later killed. The main animals that are tested on are monkeys, rats, mice, lizards, guinea pigs and baboons but are not limited to those animals. Animal testing should be banned because it is unnecessary and cruel to animals. Different procedures are done to animals that are painful and would be considered animal abuse in any other situation. To test products and chemicals on animals there are many procedures that are done. One procedure is vivisection, which is the act of cutting or experimenting with live animals or putting harsh chemicals on the animals. Another procedure that is done is a Draize test. A Draize test involves dripping substances in rabbit or other animals eyes causing pain and in serious cases blindness. These procedures should be stopped because it is hurting live creatures and is cruel to...

Words: 561 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Arguments Against Animal Testing

...Dogs, cats, mice, and other small rodents risk their lives around the world in order to help us. Taking small animals and holding them down while injecting chemical substances into their eyes and body is humane? Animals have no say in what we can do to them. The animals go through severe suffrage for our needs. There are many negative outcomes of animal testing, but there are alternatives we could be using instead of living creatures. Animals should not be used for the testing of products. What is animal testing? Animal testing is the testing in which humans practice medical procedures on animals. Cosmetics and bath products are usually tested on the animals, and are the most common tests. These experiments can lead to death, and severe injuries....

Words: 752 - Pages: 4