Animal Testing: Good, Bad or Ugly?

Yurry Buckler & Alyssa Coleman

Purpose of Animal TestingTo gain basic biological knowledgeFundamental component of medical researchAids in the discovery and development of

drugs, vaccines and medical devicesTo aid in the manufacturing of cosmetics

Arguments Against Animal TestingIt is morally wrong to kill animals for

educational purposes.

Arguments Against Animal TestingAnimals are not an accurate model of humans

Humans anatomy differs from that of laboratory animals

Humans mature differently than laboratory animals

Arguments Against Animal TestingAnimal testing is barbaric

7% of experiments are classified as causing significant pain that was not relieved.

Many of these animals receive tests for substances that will never see approval for public consumption or use…therefore many animals die in vain because no direct benefit to humans occurred.

Arguments Against Animal TestingToo many animals are killed

According to PETA “more than 100 million animals every year suffer and die in cruel chemical, drug, food, and cosmetic tests, biology lesson, medical training exercises and curiosity-driven medical experiments…”

Animal testing is expensive and public money should not be used for itCosts include: feeding, housing, caring and

treating animals sometimes over the course of months

Arguments in Favor Of Animal TestingMedical professionals support animal

research2006 survey found 96% of general

practitioners surveyed agreed animal testing has made important contributions to medical advances11

Same survey found 88% of general practitioners surveyed felt that recently developed medicines should be tested on animals before human consumption or testing

Arguments in Favor Of Animal TestingAnimal testing is greatly regulated

IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) supervises the scientific use of animals Declares regulation Accepts or denies scientific usage proposals Inspects lab animal facilities Strives to save animals from unnecessary testing

and use, requiring quick and effective pain reliefIACUC’s regulations must be complied with for

all laboratory animal use in America

Arguments in Favor Of Animal TestingAnimal testing is greatly regulated

Also regulating animal testing are: The Public Health Service Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare The Animal Welfare Act (as amended in 1985)

Arguments in Favor Of Animal TestingAnimal testing has contributed to important

gains in human medicine and biomedical researchContributed to advances in psychotherapy,

neuromuscular disorders, Parkinson’s disease, open heart surgery, organ transplants, effective insulin, and vaccines for deadly diseases.

Questions to PonderIf Con Animal Testing

What is your proposed alternative? Human testing? No testing? Computer simulations

and models are not always accurate.

Has the medical field progressed to a point where it can stop developing medicines, medical devices and new treatments?

Questions to PonderIf Pro Animal Testing

Are humans morally superior to all other beings?

Should we be able to cause pain, maim and kill other beings for the betterment of our society?

Do we have the right to end the life of animals to improve and save the lives of our own species?

Referenceshttp:

//medicinalanimalexperimentationpointlesscrueltyornecessaryevil.weebly.com/pros-and-cons.html

http://www.aboutanimaltesting.co.uk/using-animals-testing-pros-versus-

cons.htmlhttp://idebate.org/debatabase/debates/science-technology/house-would-ban-animal-

testinghttp://levmm1.wordpress.com/2010/12/11/the-pros-and-cons/