Animal Testing

Animals are suffering for the advancement of science. Using animals for research has become commonplace since the 19th century, and is becoming more prevalent in many countries. In the context of this essay, “animal research” is used as a broad term that covers any form of research that directly uses animals for the purpose of pursuing original scientific knowledge, studying disease, developing medicine, or assessing chemical safety for potential human benefit . This practice is often met with public concern and debate regarding the morality of such experiments. People have very polarized views on animal research policies ranging from a complete ban to allowing any experiment that could benefit humans . Science must address both the increase in animal research and the public concern over the morality of such …show more content…
A large portion of everyday consumer products are the result of animal testing, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, and food additives. It is also an integral part of research involving biological processes, toxicity testing of various chemicals, modelling diseases, developing therapeutic interventions, surgical processes, veterinary research, antibiotics, vaccines, and many more. While it can be argued that animal research has improved the quality of life for humans, we must also ask if this type of research was, or is, justified. Are the current and historical practices morally acceptable, or will future generations view these practices as barbaric, similar to how we now view slavery and gender inequalities? Allowing animal research to inflict pain and suffering is not justifiable purely because it is an alternative to human testing. Thoroughly understanding current animal research policies and making the necessary improvements to better protect all lives and prevent unnecessary suffering can be the only