Animal Experimentation
Throughout the 20th century, scientists have continually made important and advantageous breakthroughs in numerous fields of studies. Many of the scientists responsible for these discoveries directly, or indirectly, used animals somewhere along the road to their goals and conclusions. This process of experimenting on animals is known as vivisection. Undoubtedly, these scientists did use vivisection; but that is not the question posed. Essentially, the question is what are the benefits, and what are the harms of animal testing. Moreover though, the question is do the risks outweigh the benefits. And finally, the most important question is 'Was animal research essential? Is there any other way to find and test the theories and medication we have?' Before we examine the questions and attempt to answer the above state queries, we must obtain a background on the issue. Animal experimentation and testing have been practiced for centuries. The range of the type of animals used in experiments can vary widely depending on the type of experiment. According to various organizations the number of animals used in these tests ranges from 200 to 900 million animals annually. There are a number of different species of animals which are use
This number can change because many organizations do not consider mice and rats "animals" although the constitute 90% of all the animals used. Many products that are safe in animals are not safe in humans, and vice versa. There must be obvious purposes for this, right? Well, of course there are purposes and reasons for animal testing. We need to examine the issue on a cellular level, experiment to experiment. Although sometimes they can be proven to work, they are just as often proven not to. Animal testing fails on multiple levels, mainly of which is that animals are not always like humans. Also, a General Accounting Office report, released in May 1990, found that more than half of the prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration between 1976 and 1985 caused side effects that were serious enough to cause the drugs to be withdrawn from the market or relabeled. Scientists can now grow human skin from cells to use for testing. And it is quite well documented that in many areas such as disease research and organ transplants, animal subjects were used for testing. All of these drugs had been tested on animals. But many people believe that it is more than just 'dead animals', that it is morally disgusting and a complete disregard for all life of this planet. So animal testing isn't always essential. But we should always revert back to alternative methods whenever possible. When evaluating the debate on whether or not animal testing should be a continued practice, the decision will almost revert back to one argument: Do animals deserve protection? Are they as important as humans? Animal testing advocates have and probably always will stand on their platform of previous successes. Many of these methods are not just safer, but quicker, more reliable, and more cost efficient.
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Acceptance Essays
