Adela Diaz

English II

12 - 22 - 2017

Should Animal Testing be strictly banned?

Animal testings are experiments done to mammals and amphibians to have research of

behaviors or reactions for creation/improvement of drugs, chemicals, food, or cosmetic products.

Animals have been used repeatedly throughout the history of biomedical research. Over the year

the number of animals used for the testings have increased rapidly, this has created the

development of many agencies aimed to stopping animal testing. Some people may reason that

animal testing has helped doctors find cures for certain diseases. However, animal tests are more

expensive than other methods, they are a waste of government research dollars. Also, the

experiments use can be inhumane and cruel for the animals, which violates many laws made to

protect the animals. Finally, most experiments involving animals are defected, drugs that pass

animal tests are not necessarily safe. Animal testing is a waste of time, it is dangerous for the

animals, and most test are unreliable.

Animal test are more expensive than other methods of testing and is a waste of

government research dollars. In other words, animal testing is not the more simple and efficient

way to find cures or test products because facilities are spending thousands and thousands of

dollars on test that over the years have failed to prove any useful results. A Biotechnology

company Empiriko said “we invented synthetic livers which can predict the liver's metabolic

reactions to drugs in a process that is quicker, cheaper, and more accurate than animal

testing..government funding”. This clearly shows a whole invention made that is more efficient
than using animals for testing. Scientist are inventing better ways to see certain reactions on a

new drug. According to Senator Jeff Flake's Wastebook of government funding “over $7.3

million of taxpayers' money was wasted on studies involving animals in 2016”. These animal test

spend so much of our tax money when there are alternative methods that are safer. Millions of

government funds are spent on animal experiments that, despite running over many years, failed

to provide any useful results.

The experiments used on animals can be inhumane and cruel, which violates many laws

made to protect the animals. In some testing labs animals are being force feed, forced inhalation,

and food or water deprivation. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported “in 2016

that 71,370 animals suffered pain during experiments while being given no anesthesia for relief”.

This quote directly means that more than 71 thousand animals were being hurt and suffering pain

in these test. Something as simple as anesthesia was given so that they would not feel the pain as

much. Not only does testing cause harm to the animals, it could cause harm to humans as well.

For example, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) stated “Vioxx, a drug

used to treat arthritis, was found to be safe when tested in monkeys (and five other animal

species) but has been estimated to have caused around 320,000 heart attacks and strokes and

140,000 deaths worldwide.” This means that although it was safe to the animals it did not work

on the people. Imagine how harmful and dangerous these experiments are for not working on

humans ​after​​ being tested on animals.

Typically most experiments involving animals are defected, drugs that pass animal tests

are not necessarily safe. Animal tests do not reliably predict results in human beings. A

peer-reviewed study said “A 2017 study found flaws in animal studies including: incorrect data
interpretation, unforeseen technical issues, inadequate software systems, and blatant fraud". Most

animals are used in biomedical research and are killed during or after the experiments. This

means many animals suffer during the studies. Cruelty Free International says that “90% of

drugs fail in human trials despite promising results in animal tests – whether on safety grounds or

because they do not work”. The quote is saying that the lives/wellbeing of animals are routinely

sacrificed for poor research. Most experiments involving animals are flawed, wasting the lives of

the animal subjects.

Some say, however, doctors and scientist have discovered that animal research has

contributed to major advances in understanding and treating conditions. Animal experiments

only benefit human beings ​if​​ their results are valid and can be applied to human beings. Not all

scientists are convinced that these tests are valid and useful. Cruelty Free International says that

“cancer drugs have the lowest success rate (only 5% are approved after entering clinical trials)

followed by psychiatric drugs (6% success rate), heart drugs (7% success rate) and neurology

drugs (8% success rate).” This proves that there is not really a chance that the cures/drugs could

work for humans and doctors to use. Also, its a waste of time to spend years looking for a cure

when there is a low percent rate for success.

Animal testing is very important to have knowledge about because it is used to try to

create drugs, vaccines, and cosmetic products. All of these things are helpful for everyone, but

people need to be aware and sure of what is going on with animal test. In order to help solve this

issue much can be done. For example writing to the U.S. National Institutes of Health and tell

them you don’t want your tax dollars used to underwrite animal experiments. Also, writing to the

U.S. EPA and FDA, urging them to stop requiring cruel and obsolete animal tests, and to
approve other testing methods. Finally, you shouldn’t buy products from companies/industries

that conduct animal experiments. Animal tests are more expensive than other methods, they are a

waste of

research dollars. The experiments use can be inhumane and cruel for the animals, and finally,

most

experiments involving animals have low success rates. Animal testing is not good and should be

strictly banned to save the lives of many animals and to save time for testing industries.

Works Cited

Cruelty Free International​,

www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/why-we-do-it/arguments-against-animal-testing.

“Animal Testing - ProCon.org.” ​Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing?,​

animal-testing.procon.org/.

“Animal Testing Is Bad Science: Point/Counterpoint.” ​PETA,​

www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-experimentation/animal-testing-bad-science/.

“Animals in Science / Research.” ​Harm and Suffering,​ www.neavs.org/research/harm-suffering.

“Debate: Animal Testing.” ​Debate: Animal Testing - Debatepedia, Debate on Animal

Experimentation and Testing,​

debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:_Animal_testing.

Earth, Down to. “The Cruelty of Lab Animal Testing.” ​Down to Earth Organic and Natural​, 14

Mar. 2009,

www.downtoearth.org/innocent-animals/animal-testing/cruelty-lab-animal-testing.