Did you know an average of 26 million animals are used for testing each and every year (Speaking of Research)? These tests involve scientific and commercial testing on animals, the horrific ways animals are put to use for this testing include creating medications, analyzing the toxicity in a product, and checking the safety use of manufactured goods. This wrongful use of technology is used all over the map. Private institutions, cosmetic companies, government agencies and educational institutions can all be recognized for the heartless crime of animal testing. Animals have been put to the test as long as time can tell, it is said that the first known usage dates back to 500 BC. Proponents of animal testing say this practice has transformed medicine as it has promoted the creation of an abundant amount of treatments to benefit a patient's life, and there is no alternative that will resemble a living organism. These intelligent researchers are not doing this to be evil and one can understand this, they are simply working their hardest to complete live-saving work to cure diseases and other life threatening illnesses without harming humans. We owe a lot to these poor critters since they are the ones responsible for some of the most genius medicines we have at our fingertips today. However, enhancing medicine at the sake of animal health is cruel and inhumane. The individuals in opposition to the animal testing argument say there are plenty of alternative procedures that can easily replace animal testing.
The number of positives and negatives that arise involving this topic are growing exponentially every day. In layman’s terms, the animal testing debate can be categorized as a “double-edged sword”, animals are inhumanely harmed and abused in the midst animal testing, but important medical advances are made as a result as well, which leads to the first argument. Proponents of animal testing argue that it has led to many life saving cures and treatments, which is extremely hard oppose. The California Biomedical Research Association states that nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted from animal testing. Believe it or not, the discovery of insulin came from an experiment involving the removal of a dog's pancreas, which was crucial in saving the lives of diabetics throughout the world (Nobel Media). Animal testing has contributed to advances in treating conditions such as tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, malaria, cystic fibrosis, childhood leukemia, brain injury, breast cancer, and many others (Fisher). Arguing that animal testing has had zero benefits and life changing technological advances in modern medicine, is an argument that is full of ignorance and erroneousness. However, the opposing side of the animal testing debate has strong and valid arguments as well. The overall cruelty and inhumanity of animal testing cannot be overlooked. According to Humane Society International, animals used in experiments are commonly subjected to forced inhalation, forced feeding, food and water deprivation, periods of physical restraint, infliction of wounds, and a list of other means. The USDA reported that 71,370 animals suffered pain during experiments with no relief in 2016. In no way is this type of torture humane, and opponents argue that there are plenty of alternative testing methods that would replace this cruelty. The pros and cons of animal testing are very interesting, mostly because they are direct opposites of each other. There will always be pros and cons to everything, but who has the right to tell an individual if their opinion is correct or not?
There are so many organizations that are currently trying to put an end to animal testing, such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Americans for Medical Advancement (AFMA), Animal Justice Project, and a long list of others. There are many individuals and organizations that are making an honest attempt at trying to eliminate animal testing. Unfortunately, this isn’t solving the problem at all, it’s only spreading awareness about the issue. Scientists are finding many alternatives to animal testing, and end up accumulating better results as well. For example, scientists are testing human cell cultures in a Petri dish, utilizing microdosing, and performing experiments with artificial human skin (Rogers). There’s a long list of companies that are doing everything in their power to avoid animal testing, proving that it is indeed possible. With that said, why isn’t everybody doing it? Why aren’t all makeup, food, and drink companies finding alternatives to animal testing like everybody else? These are questions we may never be able to understand, but realizing other companies are finding alternatives shows that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Enough is enough and it is time to make a change to animal cruelty. To ensure that animals are no longer threatened in the production process of medicine and cosmetics a proposal for human testing is the solution to saving millions of these sweet and innocent animals lives. Testing will not be performed on just any human, experiments will only be used on criminals as the punishment for their crimes. The way we will adjudicate whether a crook is qualified to be put to the test depends on the intensity of the crime they committed. Only people who are serving life in prison or prisoners on death row will be used as research samples. Normally when criminals are found guilty for their crimes their rights are taken from them and they are thrown in a jail cell, locked up to spend the rest of their existence. We will be using this same technique but instead of throwing them in a standard six feet by eight feet jail cell the felons will now be spending life in a 35 square foot metal cage. By establishing this method it is projected that crime rates will decrease as another advantage to human testing. Using humans will advance the testing because now researchers will be able to interact with the tests subjects using words rather than trying to communicate with animals that cannot speak. Another positive that will come from this solution is the fact that the average human lives until they in their 80's while rats, bunnies and other lab animals have an average lifespan of 2-9 years. This allows industries to have a lower demand on how many subjects they need for testing which will save plenty of money that will be used elsewhere. In the long run experimenting on humans will be extremely beneficial as it will save time, money and the lives of millions of animals.
As one can now see acts have been passed, laws have been fought for and organizations have protested yet animal testing still sticks around through it all. The solution is simple and research belongs indeed on humans rather than animals. The research that will be produce by testing on humans will be precise and accurate unlike the thousands of test that are ran on animals. It will eliminate the mass amount of crimes committed in our nation because of the torturous living conditions and the brutal test that will be performed on a human if he or she does break the law. The lives of millions of animals will be saved using this process as well, animals unlike criminals have done nothing to deserve the cruel punishment of suffering that comes with animal testing. Human experimenting is the answer and society will realize the vast impact it makes with medical, drug and cosmetic research. Humans are now the necessity for vital research.