In addition to the many reasons listed above, testing on animals is wasteful, violent, unproductive, and speciesist. Why Animal Testing Should Be Banned: Key Cons Inhumane Treatment in Animal Experimentation Any conversation about animal analysis's pros and cons ought to admit that creature research topics involve subjecting animals to what could aptly be called torture. 1. For this reason, researchers feel they had no choice but to use animals to better understand the human body and create practical products. Founded and managed by UC Berkeley students, we are an ASUC-sponsored student organization and a student-run DeCal course. From this time on, I wanted to make a contribution to ensure a livable future for the next generations in every part of our beautiful planet. Why or why not? To illustrate it better, animal testing facts show that for every chicken used in research, 340 more are used as food. It costs significantly more money to use animals in experiments than alternatives to testing, such as in-vitro testing methods. And according to cell biologist Robin Lovell-Badge of the MRC National Institute for Medical Research in London, 94 percent of drugs that passed tests in animals failed in people. Some people also claim that animal testing will not be justifiable since there are certain regulations in place that aim to protect the rights of animals on a global scale. Even when alternatives to the use of animals are available, the law doesnt require that they be usedand often, they arent. The animals themselves gain from it. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. In some cases, many of the substances tested may never even see approval of public consumption and use; thus, these animals may have undergone such treatment in vain, seeing that no direct benefit to humans occurred. Tracey Woodruff, a professor at the University of California, San Franciscos school of medicine, said current alternatives to animal testing are somewhat useful. Even though animals share many similar characteristics with humans, the results that are obtained in those animal tests are not transferrable to humans 1:1. Whether you need help solving quadratic equations, inspiration for the upcoming science fair or the latest update on a major storm, Sciencing is here to help. For example, research on dogs in which the animals' pancreases were removed led to the discovery of insulin in the early 20th century; this has saved and improved the lives of millions of diabetics worldwide. It helps in generating new treatments and benefits for the society. Before medical products are approved for the mass market, plenty of research and testing must be done to ensure theyre safe for use. Some claim there are no alternatives to animal testing, that it is necessary. But there are alternatives (mentioned above) and its not literally necessary that anyone do it: they can refrain. Says It Will Drastically Reduce Animal Testing. Another example is thalidomide which passed animal tests but caused congenital disabilities in human beings. With the advent of modern molecular biology and its analytical methods, scientists can now quantify the precise extent to which humans resemble other animals, genetically speaking. Chimpanzees and humans share 99 percent of their DNA, and even mice and humans have a 98 percent overlap in this area. Thankfully, most cosmetics companies have already banned tests on animals as a result of PETAs campaigns and consumer pressure. The agency said it would also invest $4.25 million in projects at four universities and a medical center that are developing alternate ways of testing chemicals that do not involve animals. It helps minimize the chances of adverse human reactions, such as rash, itching, or even death, during human clinical trials. PETAs scientists are at the forefront of humane and modern methods, promoting groundbreaking non-animal tests and eliminating requirements for experiments on animals by sharing existing research and data with companies and governments. Related Discussions . Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Another issue of animal testing is that animals often have to suffer from plenty of pain during the trial period. Therefore, if we do not want to be the guinea pig, animal testing might be the only other valid way to go in order to get proper medical research findings. When you think about the financial burden countries have to bear, it becomes questionable whether animal testing really provides enough benefits. Animal testing should be banned in every single country due to this is abuse towards a living thing. So, to see if a treatment works, a disease or injury must be created in animals. By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us. After finishing university, I traveled around the world. Especially in countries where animal testing may contradict with religious aspects, those kinds of tests may even be prohibited by law. Hence, animal testing can be quite beneficial to cure and to eradicate diseases. Reaction to Tuesdays announcement was no different. A lot of research projects cause physical and psychological harm to animals. Published studies show that 90% of our fellow primates who are used in laboratories exhibit abnormal behavior patterns caused by the psychological stress, social isolation, and confinement to barren enclosures that theyre forced to endure. PRO Animal testing contributes to life-saving cures and treatments. A list of animal testing pros is incomplete without mentioning the main reason animal testing exists. Testing on animals is complicated, common, and actually more problematic than you may believe. Animals are appropriate research subjects because they are similar to human beings in many ways. Human beings live an estimated 70 years. Best Supplement for Joint Pain for Inflammation: Transparent Labs Curcumin C3 Complex. On Sept. 10, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would move away from requiring the testing of potentially harmful chemicals on animals, a decision that was hailed by animal rights. And they are killed at the end of the experiments to study the treatments effects. Theres no other living creature with the nearest human-like anatomic form than animals. Therefore, animal research can not only help us humans, but findings from animal experimentation can also be quite useful when it comes to the treatment of diseases of animals of various sorts. Animal testing should be banned because it is an unethical process that subjects animals to so much pain. PIP: Some evidence exists that in-vitro studies are capable or potentially capable of providing more rapid, precise, and relevant information than do some animal studies. Anyone can read what you share. And how exactly might anyone know that humans benefit more than animals are harmed? Animal testing refers to the practice of performing unnatural and often painful experiments on animals held captive in stressful laboratory settings, often in the misguided belief that the results of the tests will be applicable to humans. It has even brought certain species from the brink of extinction. This makes it possible for researchers to study the effects of treatments or genetic manipulation over a whole lifespan or even across several generations of mice. However, apart from many additional advantages of animal experimentation, there are also many problems related to it. Animal testing. Do you think animal testing is important in these sectors or any others? Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window), A Novices Guide to Confidence, Setbacks, and the Future, Put the ME in Time: How to Make Time for Yourself. Opines that pharmaceuticals should be tested on animals as alternative methods don't allow for testing of effects across a whole organism. It prevents animals from unnecessary suffering. Our interest isnt in speed, its getting it right. Nope. At this time, the primary use of in-vitro tests is the detection of specific toxic . Understatement: this is often unpleasant. Thus, many people conclude that the cons of animal testing outweigh the pros of this questionable research practice. Thus, it is crucial that this kind of research is carried out with great care in order to avoid those unpleasant surprises. Because of that, for some people, this is a high-stakes fight for what is right but for others, its an unfortunate but acceptable price to pay for science. Yes, animals suffer and are even killed in the pursuit of knowledge. Therefore, we may want to focus on extensive research in the medical field in order to be able to find suitable medicine to cure future diseases. But when one group benefits at the major expense of another group, thats usually wrong. Well, they test the product on animals to ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises for customers. While it may make sense to use animal experiments from time to time since there are simply no other alternatives, those experiments may not be justifiable on a large scale. Laws like the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki restrict human trials before animal tests are done. Animal experiments last a long time too, which adds to the overall cost. Even though there are many advantages of animal research, there are also several problems related to this concept. Unfortunately, the world of animal experimentation is rife with examples such as these. This research also included plenty of animal testing and therefore, animal experimentation may have played a major role to increase our overall life expectancy as a global society and may also continue to do so in the future. Best Budget Supplement for Joint Pain . These Food and Drink Companies Refuse to Test on Animals. In UK, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 defined regulated procedures as animal experiments that could potentially cause "pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm". Accessibility StatementFor more information contact us atinfo@libretexts.org. It seems that the only reason it still exists in such popularity is . Further, new medicines can help animals too, since breakthroughs in veterinary medicine have also occurred due to animal experimentation. Animals are sentient living creatures and their lives should be protected in the same way that human lives are. As I went to university and got my Masters degree in Economics, I did plenty of research in the field of Development Economics. Money spent on animal experimentation is wasted in many cases; due to inability in obtaining accurate results, and all this at the cost of the animals' well-being. The practice of testing with animals has long prompted complex debates driven by passionate views on morality and scientific imperative. Since animals cannot volunteer themselves for testing and cannot voice their opinions, some people believe that it is only ethical to test on subjects who willingly give their consent for self testing. Studies published in prestigious medical journals have repeatedly shown that animal experimentation wastes precious resources and lives. The alternatives are the future. While thats true, for the models to work efficiently in researching the endocrine system, the immune system, and the central nervous system, theyd need reliable information obtained from animal testing. Since those reasons apply to many animals experimented upon, animal testing is also wrong. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-box-3','ezslot_1',614,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-box-3-0');Animal testing (sometimes also referred to as animal experimentation or animal research) has become quite popular over the past decades. Right now, animals in university laboratories are being mutilated, poisoned, deprived of food and water, immobilized in restraint devices, infected with painful and deadly diseases, burned, electrocuted, irradiated, addicted to drugs, and psychologically tortured. While experiments on animals have been conducted during the course of some important discoveries, this doesnt mean that they were vital to the discovery of human-health treatments or that the same discoveries wouldnt have been made anyway without using animals. A reason for this, other than genetic makeup, is that the animals are kept in an unnatural environment (the laboratory) that places them under stress, which may alter their response. 92% of drugs dont make it past animal testing trials. But its really not ready for making decisions yet at least the way that E.P.A. Do you support the decision? if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'environmental_conscience_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_15',195,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0'); It had been quite helpful over the course of human history to find certain medicines to treat serious diseases in the past and will also be helpful to treat potentially serious diseases in the future. The polio vaccine developed for human use only after it was tested on animals has helped reduce this dreaded disease to near-irrelevance. Testing on animals is unethical. There's no doubt about it - animal testing is an inhumane practice. Lets say youve bought a can of insect repellant at the store. It is one of the best simulate of human's physiology. Wanna make a contribution to save our environment? if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',144,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-banner-1-0');This has not only been true in the past, but will continue to be true also in the future of humanity. U.S. law allows for animals to be burned, shocked, poisoned, isolated, starved, drowned, addicted to drugs, and brain-damaged. Michael Crystal earned a Bachelor of Science in biology at Case Western Reserve University, where he was a varsity distance runner, and is a USA Track and Field-certified coach. Any discussion of animal testing pros and cons must acknowledge that certain kinds of animal research involve subjecting creatures to what can aptly be described as torture. On the other hand, most animals have really short life cycles. One of the significant negatives of animal testing is just how expensive it is. And more importantly, if my child were dying and I tried to experiment on my neighbors children to try to save my own child, that would be wrong. The activity of animal testing is of cruelty and sometimes unscientific. The E.P.A. Animal testing is not a guarantee of product's safety. You can join PETA in opposing these cruel and useless tests by taking action today: Help End Experiments on Animals at Colleges. These sentient beings arent even defined as animals under this act, which is the only federal law offering any sort of protection for animals. Pandemics pose a serious risk to humanity since if countries spread across borders, millions of people can die from it. In fact, we should always evaluate whether animal testing should be used from an ethical perspective on an individual basis. It was definitely something that changed the way we think and something that has a huge impact these days. Theres a heated debate in the world of science. Animal experimentation has been done for many decades or even centuries. Inspiring you to live a more sustainable lifestyle one step at a time, Privacy Affiliate disclaimer Contact us About us, What Is Fast Fashion Industry and the Best Alternatives, Best Eco Friendly Products For the Kitchen, California Biomedical Research Association, World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki, Why Animal Testing Should Be Banned: 7 Reasons It Has To Stop. Environmental Conscience aims to provide unique high-quality content that is helpful to the reader. 8.9: Abortion and Animal Rights- Does Either Topic Lead to the Other? 95% of animals used in experiments are not protected by the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which excludes birds, rats and mice bred for research, and cold-blooded animals such as reptiles and most fish. Explains that animal testing involves testing pharmaceutical drugs on animals in order to see the effectiveness and side effects of the drug. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public. The LibreTexts libraries arePowered by NICE CXone Expertand are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot. Thanks to scientific innovation, alternatives to animal testing exist today. One famous medical discovery is insulin which was discovered through an experiment in which dogs had their pancreas removed. Related article: Should testing on animals be banned? Thus, from an ethical perspective, animal testing can be considered to be rather questionable and there are also many activists who claim that we should completely abandon animal research on a global scale due to that. Still, animal testing findings help veterinaries know how to treat our pets when theyre unwell. As an associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon or other programs. Every year in the U.S., tens of millions animals suffer and die in chemical, drug, food, and product tests. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'environmental_conscience_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_14',196,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-environmental_conscience_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); However, those kinds of treatments may pose significant dangers to the test persons since the effects of many new drugs are not exactly known in early testing stages. In the past, there had been many diseases that led to the death of millions of people which can be treated much better today and some of those diseases had even ben eradicated over time. Animal testing should be banned. Sather Health is a student health website that aims to deliver trusted health information to students and their communities. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. This popularity is bound to grow as time goes on. Before products are approved for the mass market, plenty of research and testing has to be done in order to ensure the safety of products. Many animals, especially primates, share about 90% of their genetic make-ups with humans, so experimenting on such animals can give scientists a good idea about possible reactions in the human body. Does that make using the car OK? The unnatural and stressful conditions of captivity make it even more unlikely that the results of animal tests can be applied to humans. Animal testing taken here to mean the use of animals in research for the purpose of furthering human concerns such as drug efficacy and the safety of products such as cosmetics is an endeavor fraught with controversy and difficult ethical arguments. Each side of the debate has its points. Animal testing is a quite controversial topic. PETA scientists sat in as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made the historic announcement that it would end toxicity tests on mammalssomething weve pushed the agency to do for nearly 20 years. Manage Settings We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development.