Animal Experimentation

The use of animals in experimentation can be traced back to a time when animal rights was still an alien concept and the debate about animal experimentation was not as fierce as it is today. The history of animal experimentation has been recorded in writings from the fourth century BC, when apparently Aristotle and his contemporaries performed experiments on live animals. It was in the twelfth century that the Arab physician, Avanzoar, started dissecting animals to test techniques for surgery before using them on human beings. Today, according to statistics provided by the British Union for Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) almost 100 million vertebrates are used for animal testing each year. Add to this the number of invertebrates like mice, rats, frogs, etc. that are used for experimentation and the figures reach astronomical numbers. While many animals used in experimentation are bred for the purpose, there are some that are caught from the wild and in some cases even taken from pounds. Most animals that are used for testing are euthanized after being experimented.

Animal experimentation takes place in pharmaceutical companies, labs, medical schools, universities, defense institutes, cosmetic companies, etc. The results from the research conducted are used for a variety of purposes like genetics, behavior studies, cosmetic testing, biomedical research, drug testing, toxicology tests, etc. Due to ethical reasons and many instances of cruelty, animal testing is regulated heavily in many countries. People who support experimentation often state that it has been the basis of every success story in the medical field in the past century but detractors and animal rights activists often label this as moot. The point they make is that most of these tests cannot successfully predict the effects that the tests may have on humans and therefore, just cruel practices. In the next two sections we take a look at the various pros and cons as stated by the respective groups.

Why Animal Experimentation is Good

"Millions of people die each year because of diseases. Animal testing has helped cure millions of people. If we didn't have animal testing, a million more people would die each year. I would kill one mouse or rabbit to save the lives of millions." - Anonymous

The thought above probably signifies the strongest argument in favor of experimentation on animals. Over time, studies using animals have been the most beneficial when it comes to testing drugs and medications that prospectively may save human beings from fatal diseases. Also testing on animals means an understanding of possible side effects and working on them. A complete ban on experimentation means that a huge chunk of medical research would have to be brought to a premature end. There is also a predominant belief that in case experimentation is conducted keeping in mind the safety of the animals conducted then reducing human suffering should be the priority.

One of the animal testing facts that is frequently stated is that without experimentation on animals, techniques like open heart surgeries, bypass surgeries, organ transplants would still be a thing of the past. Many important medication like insulin and vaccines for polio, mumps, etc. are all a result of experimentation. The reason this is important is because many animals especially chimpanzees share many aspects of the genetic makeup of human beings. This makes it possible for researchers to ascertain whether or not a certain technique or medication would work without risking the lives of humans. Detractors continue to argue that these facts do not make up for the cruelty that animals are put through.

Arguments Against Animal Experimentation

"Ask the experimenters why they experiment on animals, and the answer is: 'Because the animals are like us.' Ask the experimenters why it is morally okay to experiment on animals, and the answer is: 'Because the animals are not like us.' Animal experimentation rests on a logical contradiction." - Charles R. Magel

The argument against animal testing is largely about the cruelty and torture that they are subjected to. Most animal rights activists continue to question the humaneness of testing an animal only because it is a lower species. A very strong point put forward by activists of animal rights is that there are many animals like rats and rabbits, that have no similarities in their genetic makeup when compared with human beings and they are still being used for research. The question being asked in such a situation is how does the effect of a drug on these animals reflect on their effect on human beings. In case of animals like chimpanzees which share many aspects of human physiology, the question is whether it is ethically right to test intelligent, evolved animals.

Animal testing statistics show that the kind of treatment that is meted out to these animals in captivity is not only cruel but is a reflection of poor evil and selfishness. In most cases, wrong dosage is handed out resulting in brain damage and death of the animals. Injecting them with viruses that are potentially fatal only because they cannot express pain is unacceptable. Detractors always highlight the ethics involved in the same. Animal cruelty is one of their strongest arguments.

These were just some of the animal testing pros and cons. In many countries, with the increasing number of people speaking up against animal experimentation, there are three guiding rules in place, which are known as the three R's; replacement that suggests using non-animal methods of testing as often as possible, reduction that refers to the use of fewer number of animals if animal testing has to take place, and refinement which refers to using methods that are less invasive, and providing better care to the animals. The debate on animal experimentation will not see an end in the near future but ensuring that the guidelines are followed may reflect towards a softening in the viewpoints of both sides.