Argumentative Essay: Against Animal Testing

Introduction To many people animals are considered pets; dogs, cat, reptiles and even rodents. These animals are part of some peoples families even to go as far as having a place at the dinner table. But in this day and age millions of these animals are put through cruel and unusual experiments to test whether something could be dangerous to humans. Animal testing may be viewed positively by some, but it still remains unethical due to the number of animals being sacrificed, unreliable because many animals have different anatomy structures than humans, and there are more humane alternatives to it. There are many reasons that animal testing is unethical, inappropriate, and not needed in this day and age. Animal testing can be considered cruel and inhumane. There are other alternative procedures available to researchers that can be substituted for animal testing. Also, most experimental animals are so dissimilar from humans that research on these animals frequently produces irrelevant results. Opposition Animal testing has contributed too many of the life-saving cures and treatments that we have available. Animal research has aided major developments in understanding and handling such disorders such as breast cancer, brain injury, childhood leukemia, cystic fibrosis, malaria, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, and many others, and was instrumental in the development of pacemakers, cardiac valve substitutes, and anesthetics (Fisher, 2013).

There is no sufficient substitute to testing on a living, whole-body system. Living systems, like humans and animals, are exceptionally multifaceted. We need this type of experimentation to help our society be able to fight against disease and disorders that harm the human body. Animals are suitable research foci because they are comparable to humans in numerous ways. Since animals and humans are so biologically alike, they tend to be more vulnerable to lots of the same disorders and sicknesses, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes (Wright, 2012). There is no alternative testing method that can compare to animal testing when protecting and safeguarding human life. The use of animal testing allows for safer products, drug compatibilities to be tested, and medication doses to be tested before human consumption or use. Rebuttal Outline The testing on animals has given many cures and treatments for humans to have a longer life expectancy. Counterpoint: Animal testing is cruel and inhumane. In order for humans to live longer, animals have to live through harsh conditions placed upon their bodies. In 2005 12 million experiments were conducted in England. In France 2.3 million animals were tested on and Germans tested on 1.8 million animals. (Kanade, 2011)

Animals and humans share similar body composition. Therefore, animals make an excellent choice in regards to using them as test subjects.

Counterpoint: The differences in anatomic, metabolic, and cellular structures between humans and animals make these two incompatible in regards to testing being performed with adequate results. While all animal cells have similarities, researchers now recognize that even smaller characteristics differentiate the way the cells of unlike species respond to food and medicines. Unsuccessful animal testing has irreversibly confirmed that tiny dissimilarities can stop disease in one species or allow it in another. The minutest biological differences amid humans and animals can lead to fatal inaccuracies when relating animal statistics to humans. For example, white blood cell surface receptors enable humans to be vulnerable to AIDS while animals are not (Berlin, 2012). Although at least 85 AIDS vaccines have been successful in nonhuman primate studies, as of 2013 every one has failed to demonstrate a benefit to humans. (Bailey, 2008) Not only did these studies not help humans some people believe it made them more susceptible to the diseases.

No alternative methods that compare to animal testing. Counterpoint: Some people believe that alternate testing methods exist nowadays that can be substituted for animals. In vitro testing can create more applicable results than animal testing for the reason that human cells can be utilized. Also, computer modeling is now very refined. Simulated human organs and computer-generated metabolism programs are able to forecast drug effects in humans far more precisely than animals testing results (Berlin, 2012). An innovative biotechnology firm has developed a 3-D in vitro human liver that scientists can use to study the breakdown of chemicals in the human body.

(peta, 2012) There are also advancements in Brain Imaging that can be used to track drugs in the brain and what areas it might affect.

Conclusion Although it may seem that animal testing is needed in our society to keep humans safer and healthier, there are alternatives to this inhumane act towards animals. The whole concept of animal testing for our welfare is unethical and should be outlawed in todays society. There may be a couple similarities between animal and human body compositions, but not enough that should allow for the torturous conditions that animals have to go through to benefit ourselves.

References Bailey, J. (2008) An Assessment of the Role of Chimpanzees in AIDS Vaccine Research. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals. Retrieved from peta.org

Berlin, A. (2012). Would drugs be safe for us without first being tested on animals? Animal Liberation Front: Worldwide News and Information Resource about the A.L.F. Retrieved from http://www.animalliberationfront.com/Philosophy/Animal%20Testing/DrugsSaferWithN oTests.htm

Conner, S., Green, C (2008, April 24) Is it Time to Give Up the Search for an AIDS Vaccine? The Independent

Fisher, E. (2013, July 17). "Why We Should Accept Animal Testing". Retrieved from huffingtonpost.co.uk.

Kanade, S. (2011, October 17) Animal Testing Statistics Retrived from buzzle.com/articles/animal-testing-statistics.html

Wright, D., Kazdin, C., and Effron, L. (2012, June 12). Zoobiquity: 7 diseases animals share with humans" Retrieved from abcnews.go.com