Why Is It Ethical To Use Animals In Medical Research

Improved Essays
A highly controversial, and relatively new, argument of utilizing animals in the testing and development of medical research has left scientists in the crossroads on the ethics behind the entire operation. Approximately twenty-six million animals are in the United Stated each year for both scientific and commercial testing, in which these animals are used for a wide range of dangerous procedures. These animals are used for testing the safety of medications for human consumption, determining the toxicity of medical procedures, and ultimately develop stable medical treatments to name a few. Personally, my viewpoint lies in the middle ground as I am both a proponent, from the positive products of research, and opponent, limiting suffering, of using animals in the testing and development of medical research. In this paper, I will be exploring the ethics, regulations, and history behind medical researchers and their experiments on animals. There are a plethora of proponents that would argue that the development of medical research, directly tied with the testing of animals, has boosted our entire human race in the direction of a safer, healthier life. It has been stated that animal testing has enabled the creation of diverse lifesaving treatments for humans and even the very animals being tested. Many proponents …show more content…
Firstly, opponents to this issue will argue that the practice is both unsafe and inhumane to perform experiments on animals. It is argued that the common animals being tested are so different from us biologically that it is completely pointless to perform testing on them; it would be better to not test at all, finding other methods. In some cases, it is proven hat there are alternative methods available to researchers so they can accomplish their experiments without the use of

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Animal testing has become one of a number of controversial issues because of the effects that it has on animals. Supporters of animal testing justify these effects because they believe that animal testing is the only way to find new cures for diseases. Research that has been done on this matter has proven it to be an ineffective way of finding cures. Furthermore, the reason why animal testing should not continue is because it leads to animals having psychological problems, dwindling of the number of endangered animals and cures that have been proven on animals do not work on people.…

    • 786 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Brilliant Essays

    "The Flaws And Human Harms Of Animal Experimentation". Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics 24.04 (2015): 407-419. Web. 27 Mar. 2017. " Alternatives To Animals - Ethics Of Medical Research With Animals".…

    • 2147 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Brilliant Essays
  • Decent Essays

    My dr af t is about why animal testing is good. First of all "It is estimated 17 to 22 million vertebrate are used each year in research, education, and testing." Animal testing can be used in many ways and it has so since 500 BC. The most common testing is medical/treatments. This has been able to save millions of lives.…

    • 365 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Animal Testing for Medical Research Animal testing for medical research is conducted all throughout the world. It helps scientists discover new drugs, vaccinations, and cures for a multitude of diseases. These diseases included, lung cancer, heart disease, strokes, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hepatitis C, Parkinson’s disease and several others. (Americans for Medical Process) However, discovering these drugs and cures did not transpire without a cost. While these revelations may have saved thousands of human lives, they have ended thousands and millions of animal lives, and even lives’ of humans.…

    • 2157 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    When animals are used in medical research, it is great way to uncover the mysteries and find treatments or even cures for various diseases. For example, in Shany Sun’s Young Scientists Journal article, “The Truth Behind Animal Testing,” the author says, “…medical advancements that have been discovered through animal testing include penicillin, blood transfusions, insulin (that controls blood sugar levels of diabetics), kidney transplants, and vaccines for polio and meningitis” (Sun 1). This example shows just how beneficial animal testing in medical research can be. These medical advancements would not have been available for years if animal testing had not…

    • 1614 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Ethics of Animal Experimentation Introduction The value of research in human life cannot be overstated; through it human beings have been able to virtually conquer the world. It spans many academic disciplines and social spheres. In medicine, research has done its part, but there are questions on the manner in which medical research is done (Gilbert, Kaebnick and Murray). This regards the issue of animal testing, that is, the use of animals in research projects that are meant to benefit humans.…

    • 1344 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Animal research has aided in the advancement of research done in the medical field. Animal research has helped scientists better understand treatment options when it comes to cancer, HIV/AIDS, heart disease/stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Hepatitis C, birth defects, epilepsy, spinal cord injuries, and cystic fibrosis. Despite the controversy of testing on animals, I do think that testing on animals is beneficial in the advancement in the health of humans. However, it is necessary that within animal research scientists follow strict ethical guidelines making sure that all testing on animals is justified in bettering humans, and that all animals are treated in a humane way. Following are examples of how animal testing has bettered the medical field by helping researchers better understand different diseases and effective treatment options.…

    • 1148 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Typically society thinks that it is wrong to have animals as a model for health experiments because it goes against animal rights. Animals have improved their lives from experimentation. Animal testing does not just help us but helps their species as well. Animal testing is used to improve humans health and science have advanced because…

    • 1265 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Animal Testing Necessary? Over the years animal testing has been used to advance medical research and expand human knowledge in medicine. Animals are used for genetic, biology, drug and cosmetic testing experimentations, some people feel that animal testing is necessary in finding better medicine and beneficial for humans. A lot of people don’t understand that many of these animals may suffer during the harsh experimentations. People question whether or not it is ethical to use animals for medical research, drug testing and health care products.…

    • 1078 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dillon Haynes Mrs. Mable Literature 04 May 2017 The Improper Use of Animals 94% of drugs that pass animal tests fail in human clinical trials. According to neurologist Aysha Akhtar, over 100 stroke drugs that were effective when tested on animals have failed in humans. Animals are poor models for human beings because of their cellular differences and can cause major problems. Based on research and evidence, testing on animals is cruel and should be brought to the attention of everyone.…

    • 1029 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Unfortunately, the same can't be said for medical animal testing. In order to maintain progress; there must be sacrifice. The usage of animal testing has spurred many medical procedures. With regards to medical procedures, animal testing has resulted in major ones. Operations like blood transfusions, kidney dialysis, the use of the heart-lung machine, replacement heart valves, coronary bypass operations, heart transplants, and CT scanning resulted from animal testing and have brought new life to the inner organs.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Cassidy Walton Professor Marek English 1101 Sec. 54AZ 6 June 2018 Annotated Bibliography: Animal Testing Animal testing is one of the most frowned upon scientific experiments around, but the whole world needs this testing to save the human race. There are causes and effects just like any other scientific experiments. The testing of animals helps the human race better understand the way animals react to the cures, and to help find cures for the diseases.…

    • 1323 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Animal Experimentation Animal experimentation has been around for many centuries. Humans perform these experiments on all species of animals to find different effect of a product it could have on a human. Three advantages in particular advantages are, it helps scientists gain a better understanding for cures of different diseases, this practice makes a vital advance in medicine, and for the expense of treatments and cures animals should not have rights when it comes to research. Although there are many advantages to animal experimentation, there are also disadvantages which include, there is no benefit for the humans, it is cruel, and is dangerous for humans to be treated only after a trial on animals. The first advantage to animal experimentation is using animals like rats can help the scientist gain better knowledge for different…

    • 1333 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, “Every person in the United States has benefited from the results of animal testing. Children are now immunized against many diseases such as whooping cough, small pox, and tetanus all because of animal testing”. With all the good coming from animal testing it is hard to believe there are still some radical groups strongly opposing the medical science behind it. Animal testing for medical purposes is necessary and justified because it is vital to modern medical treatments and will continue to be necessary to respond to new diseases.…

    • 1140 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Animal Testing Viewpoints

    • 1311 Words
    • 6 Pages

    After studying multiple views on animal testing I have come to realize my personal view has now changed since the start of my research. Before undergoing heavy study into animal testing I believed that all types of animal testing should be stopped, but now I believe that the idea is very beneficial and should only be done when the rights of the animal are considered. In the coming years, hopefully, more regulations can be passed to ensure that all animal’s lives are protected during experimentation. Although most animals are treated with care and no pain is dealt to them when undergoing testing, it would be a lie if I stated no animals are harmed during the process. Animal testing is extremely useful in developing life-saving drugs and medicine.…

    • 1311 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays