Animal Testing: Right or Wrong?

Know your facts! Animal testing - Controversy

Animal testing - Advocates of animal testing


Testing advocates argue that: * It would be unethical to test substances or drug with potentially adverse side-effects on human beings. [56] * Controlled experiments involve introducing only one variable at a time, which is why animals are experimented on while confined inside a laboratory. Human beings could not be confined in this way. [57] * There is no substitute for the living systems necessary to study interaction among cells, tissue, and organs. Animals are good surrogates because of their similarities to humans. [58] * Animals have shorter life and reproductive spans, meaning that several generations can be studied in a relatively short time. * Animals can be bred especially for animal-testing purposes, meaning they arrive at the laboratory free from disease. * Humans in some parts of the world are healthier in large part due to advances in medical research derived from animal testing. [59] * Animals receive more sophisticated medical care because of animal tests that have led to advances in veterinary medicine. [60] * There have been several examples of substances causing death or injury to human beings because of inadequate animal testing. [61]

Animal testing - Opponents of animal testing

Opponents argue that: * The animal-testing industry is a multi-million dollar concern. Advocates of testing may argue that their interests are scientific, but they are just as often commercial. * The suffering of the animals is excessive in relation to whatever benefits may be reaped. [62] (pdf) * Animal-testing facilites are not properly regulated or inspected, and several undercover investigations by activist groups have uncovered evidence of animal abuse. * Animal testing is regarded by opponents as bad science because: 1. Animal models of disease are induced, and should not be compared to the same disease in humans. Parkinson's disease in humans cannot be reproduced by causing brain damage in an animal. 2. Many drugs have dangerous side-effects that were not predicted by animal models; a well-known example of this is Thalidomide. 3. Some drugs have different effects on human and non-human animals: aspirin, for example, is a teratogen in animals, but not in humans, and has beneficial effects on humans, such as stroke prevention, that are not reproduced in animals. [63] 4. The conditions in which the tests are carried out may undermine the results, because of the stress the environment produces in the animals. BUAV argues that the laboratory environment and the experiments themselves are capable of affecting every organ and biochemical function in the body. "Noise, restraint, isolation, pain, psychological distress, overcrowding, regrouping, separation from mothers, sleeplessness, hypersexuality, surgery and anaesthesia can all increase mortality, contact sensitivity, tumour susceptibility and metastatic spread, as well as decrease viral resistance and immune response." [64] * Some opponents, particularly supporters of animal rights, argue further that, even if animal testing did reap benefits to human beings, these could not outweigh the suffering of the animals, and that human beings have no moral right to use individual animals in ways that do not benefit that individual.
(article provided by http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Animal_testing_-_Controversy/id/4795015)

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[pashqual]

A lot of people here are plain stupid. Flaunting your opinion around while you're ABSOLUTELY ignorant of how much animal testing has helped saving human lives is dumb. All life is precious, I won't argue about it. But some life is more precious than others and judging ethical issues, you can either choose for the greater good, or the lives of animals.

@noratmedicine you're lieing. That's not true and you should be ashamed to lie to others for whatever cause. Please people, open your eyes.

[NormbrettaMod]

@pashqual

@pashqual

"some life is more precious than others" why do you think you have the authority to make that statement? don't you find that extremely arrogant and selfish. the only reason you deem human life more important than a rat's is because YOU are a human. white people used to (and some still do) consider their lives and well-being more important than black people's purely because the black people weren't them. you're in exactly the same category.

[surfpuppies991]

personaly i think animal testing is retarted. they test on animals killing them to prevent from killing people. what i dont understand is how we are any more important than animals. Just because wecan do something doesnt mean we should. Its cruel!

[learneraika12]

HOWEVER, I do agree that if an animal is suffering from a sickness like us, then it won't hurt to test remedies on them, as it could save their life, and countless other human lives too!

[learneraika12]

...ideas for science on animals. Hope you guys didn't take me in the wrong way, I love science! But we have to use it in the right ways!

[learneraika12]

...that we should take responsibilty for our actions? Cavemen weren't wearing make-up and taking hot showers with soap all the time. And honestly... I don't see anything wrong with wearing make-up and stuff like that...or using technology... or even a problem with meat-eaters (which I'm not one, but since we evolved, well...you know) but it's time to take responsibility for our actions. It's even believed by doctors that there's a natural solution for any illness, time to stop forcing our...

[learneraika12]

...don't need animals for testing, because we're not in search of just cheaper ways to make things. The only reason that our producers like to put in poisonous chemicals is because overall it's probably cheaper, which means a higher income for all of them. You might ask, but if it's poisonous, then why would we use? It contains elements not as natural and good for a skin, but I guess I shouldn't have said poisonous. And this leads to our need to "test on animals". Also, as humans, don't we say..

[learneraika12]

Well, I'm only saying this for you, and I will accept you people either way that you will be, but I feel that it's a little contradictory... If someone eats meat AND believes in testing on animals, then couldn't I very well argue that if animals are so similiar enough for us to maintian accurate results, then should our diet be that close to the chimpanzee... who is basically vegan? And also, if it were all natural ingredients, and nothing poisinous in our cosmetics and what not, then we...

[MauSchmau]

I like this. Very good job. Should be proud standing up for animals.

[LaReinadePicas4]

Animal testing is a CRIME

[Treefrogcalidryas]

i don't care if im alive. i no longer use ANY products used on animls (as of 2012) including medicane, theres nothin i can do 2 undo the past, but if i cud go bak and stop myself using animal tested products i wud (even if it meant i die) cause id rather be dead that live in shame. U probly dont belive me but i honestly dont care ;p

[TheKitch2]

@Treefrogcalidryas I hate to tell you but odds are you are alive because of animal research. Unless you are very lucky. :)