EDITORIAL
Cayton Ferguson
Ninety-four percent of animal testing is done to determine the safety of cosmetics and household products leaving only 6% for medical research. (Claire Andre 2010) There are 3 main reasons why animals are tested on. For medical science, drug testing, and cosmetic tests. The purpose of medical research is to study the effects of drugs and various treatments.
That makes no sense. why do we test the outcome of a drug on an animal to see how it effects a human? 1.16% human illnesses are ever seen in animals. I see why this is important, but I still believe animal testing is wrong. 21,700,000 of the animals tested on are relieved of pain through euthanasia. Each year in the United States, an estimated 70 million animals are force-fed chemicals, genetically manipulated, maimed, scalded, and blinded in the name of science. (PCRM 2010)
There are many reasons why animal testing is used for medical purposes. Although the labs come back with results from these tests, they aren't 100% accurate. Animal tests are wrong 54% of the time. Rats are only 37% effective in identifying what causes cancer to humans, which is one of the main reasons rats are used. The animals are supposed to represent humans, but none of the environments are the same as humans regular environment, so how can we consider this work creditable? The animals are kept in tiny cages and kept away from other animals. Humans are social beings. These animals are being isolated so the information we receive isn’t reliable. The animals are treated poorly and almost neglected. There are many alternatives to animal testing. Scientists who explore the alternatives of animal testing use the “3Rs.” Replacement, reduction, and refinement. Replacement means that the animals are replaced, either by methods that don't involve animals at all, or by in vitro techniques, "Synthetic skin," called Corrositex, Computer modeling, or Improved statistical design. (Carol Howard 2005) Reduction and refinement, refer to reducing the number of animals to the minimum necessary for the study and to refining the techniques to eliminate or minimize pain and distress. (Carol Howard 2005) We owe a lot to animal testing and what has been accomplished through it, like cancer research, safe drugs, and methods to cure diseases. Even with all these positives, we still need to find more humane ways to test these methods.
As you can see, there are huge reasons to stop animal testing. Thousands of animals die each year because of the tests, the results aren't creditable because of all the factors involved like the fact that they are animals and not humans and that their body’s handle disease different, on average animal testing costs $8 to $8.5 billion a year, and the animals are treated poorly. We can help those animals who cant help themselves. Help stop animal testing and save the defenceless animals.
PCRM Position Paper on Animal Research. PCRM . N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. Path: http://www.pcrm.org/resch/anexp/position.html.
Andre, Claire, and Manuel Velasquez. "Of Cures and Creatures Great and Small." Santa Clara University. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. <http://ww.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html>.
Howard, Carol. "Yes, Dad, There Are Alternatives." CAAT. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://caat.jhsph.edu/publications/articles/aavs.htm>.
Peta, www.peta.org, 2010
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