Animal Testing Controversy

The Moral Controversy on Using Animal for Research Historically, the health and well being of humans have taken precedent over those of animals’. Only recently have animal “rights” become a major and sometimes controversial topic in the general public. The controversy is inflamed by the fact that it is common practice to use animals for medical research. Different people have many different views on this topic. Is it humane to experiment on animals? Does a life-saving vaccine warrant the pain of a dog or cat that has deliberately been given a disease? Is extending a medical understanding worth the caging and mutilation of an animal? One must consider a variety of different perspectives to come to a reasonable conclusion on the question, should …show more content…
According to the American Medical Association, all progression in medical science in the twentieth Century has been attained either directly or indirectly through the use of animals in experiments. The many people who agree with the AMA share a second and very different perspective about using animals for experimental research. They assert that there are astonishing similarities between the physiological systems of humans and different species of animals. For example, they point to the fact that much of what we know about the immune system has come from studies with mice, and much of what we know about the cardiovascular system has come from studies with dogs. Without animal research doctors would be at a great disadvantage, possibly even in the dark, about many of the types of diseases that can spread on to humans. With that being said, the total riddance of animal testing will set back the development of crucial medical devices, medicines, and treatment (Hajar). Those who support this idea that animals are vital to medical advancement point to the American Welfare Act’s strict controls about the use of animal testing, particularly regarding potential pain. As stated in the above paragraphs, the act regulates the alleviation and elimination of pain. In section 12 of this act, it states “the Secretary is authorized to promulgate humane standards and recordkeeping requirements governing the purchase, handling, or sale of dogs or cats by dealers or research facilities at auction sales” (Public). With that being said, each institution must have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. This is a committee made up of three or more members who meet different, specific qualifications. These people must review research protocols and administrate evaluations of the institution 's