animal testing arguments
Animal Testing Arguments
There's been much discussion and debate over the issue of using animals for scientific research and testing. This article presents some animal testing arguments highlighting both the positive as well as the negative aspects of this phenomenon.
- Had it not been for animal testing, a number of lifesaving drugs and surgical procedures would not have been around. This means that the medical breakthroughs that are responsible for treating or curing diseases that were considered terminal and assumed epidemic proportions just about half a century ago would not have been around and people would still be dying of tuberculosis and cholera.
- It's not just humans that benefit from such testing. A lot of cures for non-human animals and pets also attribute their success and development to testing on animals. This is especially true in case of various animal and pet vaccines and shots.
- There is a lot of similarity in how humans and certain animals like rats, guinea pigs, etc. react to certain chemicals, pathogens and medications. This makes it convenient to conduct tests on various animals to project reactions and benefits in humans. Besides, using humans for the purpose of these tests is considered unethical and illegal. Hence, you see, there ain't much choice in this regard.
- Testing on animals is not as casual a phenomenon as it might sound. The license for testing on animals is granted only when it is sufficiently proved that there are no available alternatives to animal testing. Besides, these tests and laboratory experiments are conducted under the expert supervision of a panel of professionals that include veterinarians and members of various public and animal welfare organizations.
- The first and foremost argument that is presented against animal testing deals with the issue of animal cruelty. It is often argued that these tests cause a lot of pain to the lab animals and the condition in which they are held captive for experimentation are not at all healthy.
- The second argument rests on the issue of selfishness. The fact that we make animals to suffer just so that humans can have a better life points towards callous and grossly selfish motives.
- There have been quite a few instances where drugs that were tested on animals and passed as safe turned out to be dangerous and ineffective when consumed by humans. The cases of the drugs Thalidomide and Clioquinol are prominent instances where what proved safe when tested on animals proved fatal when consumed by humans.
- Violation of animal rights is a prominent argument against animal testing. Supporters of this view state that if testing and experimenting on human subjects is unethical or illegal, then treating animals' rights to life any differently is wrong.