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Essay: Animal Experimentation in Medical Research: Necessary for Advances in Human Health

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Ben Leis

Mr.Mast

English 4

27 November 2017

Research on Animal Experimentation

This paper will discuss the role of animals in scientific experiments. I believe that animals are not the equal to humans, but they should be treated with respect and allowed to be used in experimentation only if used in a non-pernicious manner. The thesis of this paper is through animal experimentation there have been many medical breakthroughs which have deepened the understanding of diseases and improved the quality of human and animal life, therefore, animal research should not be castigated for it has opened up numerous possibilities to future cures and treatments.

The first and most important thing that must be noted is that there are mainly two sides in this argument on how animals are being treated by the scientific community. The first side is the scientists who actively use animals to gain beneficial results and improve the human life to a more abundant state. They are the ones who do the research which often times uses animals as test subjects to assay drugs and determine their effects. Scientists are not vary vocal when it comes to defending their reason to why they use animals over other substitutes to experiment. They also struggle to exhort the importance and merit of animal testing to the public. This is one reason why the opposing side (which are mostly consisted by protesters and animal rights activists) is able to gain public attention and almost always is successful in getting support. The protesting side appeals to people’s conscience, for example showing loathsome photos and videos. One of the most vocal animal rights groups PETA was founded by Alex Pacheco photographed the shocking “Silver Spring Monkey” in 1981. (See Fig 1) They attack the act of animal experimentation as a malefaction, inhumane, and unethical. Primary groups are PETA and AALAS which do have good intents, but are sometimes very aggressive towards researchers and can create misunderstanding between the public and the scientific community. Overall I think that the protesting side can be more emotional and take non-rational actions which lead to further conflict and does not result to anything.

Before we actually can talk about the issue of animal experimentation, we must understand the history of animal experimentation and why it is now one of the most effective ways to test certain drugs or surgical methods. Some historical aspects that we must be examined by considering first the rise of medical research (especially in physiology and pharmacology), then the appearance and consolidation of opposition in researches which used living animals. Both developments were shaped by the capabilities and goals of science in each era, but also but also through the philosophical and religious environments surrounding the science that functioned. Vivisection—the cutting open of living animals to observe their inner function—can be dated back to Ancient Greek. Alcmaeon (fl. 500 B.C.E) was the first physician to be recorded studying physiology through the use of vivisection. He severed the optic nerve of an animal and noted the resulting blindness. Up until the medieval era animal research had been a main tool to deepen the understanding the physiological phenomena by scholars and physicians and was accepted. During the Renaissance the revival of the experimental spirit was happening in Europe where people began to question their predecessors and skepticism sparked innovation in the profession of science. It was the English physician William Harvey (1578-1657), however, who used animal experimentation to make a dramatic breakthrough. Since then Animal testing has played a pivotal role in the field of physiology and pharmacology. Although animal research was advancing the knowledge and understanding of the human body, the development of vivisection raised the question “Do animals deserve the same moral consideration as humans?” Initially the answer was no. The rapid expansion of animal experimentation during the 1600s did provoke the objections, but those who opposed were the minority, and were usually an experimenter’s personal expression of revulsion rather than the product of a moral philosophy condemning cruel treatment of animals. Also, anesthesia was not introduced for research and surgical usage until the late 1840s, so before that the idea did not Evan exist. During the enlightenment, a majority of the people believed in human superiority through doctrines such as Humanism where humans where the center and main focus. So it was against the trend at the time to oppose animal experimentation. Later on during the 18th and 19th century people began consider that there may be a chance that animals have the ability to feel and suffer by Jeremy Bentham. This is approximately the time where the idea of “animal rights” was born. Which has since started the long lasting debate whether there are animal rights.

A core argument for animal research has been whether there is a legitimate alternatives. Some opposing scientists say that there are alternatives that can substitute the usage of live animals. They also say that experiments that use too few animals may fail to pick up biologically important effects, while those that use too many or use them incorrectly may be subjecting them to unnecessary pain, distress or lasting harm. But this is not the case scientist who are actually doing research on animals testify the importance and that there is no alternative for animals.

Animal research has contributed to the understanding of not only human physiology, but also for animals. There is undeniable amount of evidence that through the usage of animals in research has boosted our knowledge if the human body in such a way that without the usage of animals testing the human race could not have advanced this far. These great achievements are nothing of the past, they are still vary relevant in modern day science or even more crucial. Lab animals have played important roles in Nobel Prize winning medical discoveries and breakthroughs. In fact, of the 108 award recipients in the physiology or medicine category, beginning with first prize awarded in 1901 to a German scientist who developed the diphtheria vaccine by working with horses, 96 used animal models in their research. (Animal Testing & Nobel Prize.) Animal testing is the future to cures to cancer, Alzheimer, and AIEDs. Cures for Malaria and Zika are being tested on animals to discover a safe antidote for humans who are suffering from these diseases.  Opposing this is the animal rights activists who claim that we should stop animal experimentation due to the fact that the results do not apply to us humans. This is a false claim, we share 95% of our genes with mouse, (which are the most common test subjects and are bred for research purpose specifically) making them a paragon for the human body. Animals and humans are vary similar, we have the same organ systems performing the same tasks in more or less the same way. Animal testing has benefited both humans and animals that cannot be ignored.

These animals are heroes. Their contribution to discovering life-saving advancements in medicine and science-for both pets and humans-is enormous. Thanks to the last century of animal research, we have achieved life-saving treatments for people and animals. As veterinarians, we are able to treat more ailments and prevent more diseases, and that allows us to keep our pets living longer and healthier. Jon Klingborg, DVM, president of the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). (Animal Research and Its Benefits to Both Humans and Animals.)

Without animal research, millions of dogs, cats, birds, and farm animals would be dead from more than 200 diseases, including anthrax, distemper, rabies, feline leukemia, and canine parvo virus. (Animal Research and Its Benefits to Both Humans and Animals.) Animal testing is not cruel or inhumane to animals. There is certainly the possibility that animal experimentation becoming cruel. Though that depends more on the individual rather than the act of animal experimentation itself. Thus I would argue against; from whose standard is it cruel? Do we not do things which are far more foul to our own human race and our brothers? Is it really from compassion and clemency that people show towards animals or is the act more for self-satisfaction? I believe that animal research should definitely be allowed and rather than asking whether we are really caring for animals and want to benefit humans and animals. The final choice comes down to us. (Fig1)

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