Animal Testing Essay

Animal Testing Essay Animal Testing Essay Animal testing has been going on for far too long. Whether it is to test a new cosmetic or develop another medication, scientists have used animals as a way of testing out new drugs and products before they are used on humans. Each year animals are blinded, force-fed, genetically altered, injured and more. They are kept in tiny, uncomfortable cages just to test something new. These innocent animals are hurt for science and the results might not even hold true for humans. While some may think that animals are not as developed as humans and use that argument to justify these experiments; Jeremy Bentham, a British philosopher, once said, â€Å"The question is not, ‘Can they reason?’ nor, ‘Can they talk?’ but rather, ‘can they suffer?’† Animals have been through too much suffering to sometimes benefit the lives of humans. Their deaths should not be considered acceptable simply because an occasional experiments has led to medical advancements. There are other options that we need to investigate. Testing on animals is unethical and should not be practiced under any circumstances. Some argue that animal testing has produced some benefits in the medical field. There have been numerous drugs proven though animal testing that have improved the lives of humans all over the world. From treatments for cancer to antibiotics for infection, without animal research, many of the medicines we use today would not exist. During animals testing, scientists are given a living laboratory in which to test their substance. For example, monkeys are often used in experiments because their bodies are so closely related to those of humans. Given that some believe we derived from monkeys, they are an obvious choice for testing. When monkeys are used to test a new pain medication, scientists observe the actions of the monkey before and after they have received the medication. Scientists cannot only see if the pain medication is working, but see if there are any side effects experienced by the monkey as well. From the responses, scientists are able to determine whether or not the medication would be suitable for a human being. By testing the medicine or product on an animal first, we ultimately save numerous human lives. This is not to say that animal’s lives are disregarded. Animal testing has certain rules to follow and regulations that protect the animal. The Animal Welfare Act became law in 1966 to regulate the treatment of animals in all conditions (â€Å"Animal Welfare Act†). Several groups and professionals such as the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service enforce the act so that animals are protected during these experiments. Still, the benefits of animals testing do not outweigh the horrible tests being done on animals. The benefits of animal testing are often overstated and not well understood. PETA, a well-known organization for animal rights, corrects the misperception, â€Å"It’s bad sc ience. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that 92 out of every 100 drugs that pass animal tests fail in humans† (PETA). These appalling tests being done on innocent animals are not even producing accurate conclusions. In 1993 the FDA approved a drug called Propulsid (Pippin, and Sullivan). It was used to treat gastric reflex in children. After numerous tests on different animals such as mice and rabbits with no problems, the drug was released to the public (Pippin, and Sullivan). By 1995 people started noticing heart rhythm disturbances associated with the new drug. Many children and babies under one year of age were dying of heart disruptions (Pippin, and Sullivan). After 300 deaths, the drug was withdrawn from the medical market in 2000 (Pippin, and Sullivan). Vioxx is another drug that passed animals testing but was found lethal to humans. Vioxx was discovered as a pain medication for arthritis. It was tested on African green monkeys, mice, and rats and there we re no problems found (Gartner). However, when introduced to humans, the drug was found to