The Use of Animals in the Experiments - Research Paper Example

 The experimentation on animals is an age-old phenomenon in which the non-human animals are used in the process of experiments that range from pure observation of the animals to experimental investigations depending on the objective of the experiments. The experiments conducted with the use of animals may be aimed at scientific investigations or for the purpose of scholarly or commercial research. The research processes are undertaken by the government agencies, medical colleges, university departments and the research and development divisions of corporate houses. The experiments conducted using the animals may involve research in the fields of behavioral sciences, biology and applied fields like genetics, etc. The animals are also used in the experiments for biomedical research, testing and discovery of drugs, etc. The use of animals in the experiments is aimed at researches in the field of education, medicine, defense studies etc. The worldwide practice of non-human animals in the experiments for the different types of motives is subject to debate. As a result of this, different countries have established systems of regulations to control the use of animals in the experiments. Millions of animals in the categories of vertebrates and invertebrates are used all over the world for the purpose of experiments (Greek and Greek 58). The most commonly used invertebrates that are used in the experiments are the rats, birds, dogs, mice and fish. Among these, the rats are the most widely used in the experiments conducted in the chemical laboratories. The animals are at times bred for the purpose of experiments or even supplied from outside sources for the purpose of experiments. These are generally commercial dealers who carry out the business of supplying wild animals for the purpose of research and experiments and in the process earn considerable income. The animals used in the experiments are generally euthanized. The major reasons for euthanizing animals may be irrecoverable damage caused to the animals during the process of experimentation or the non-availability of adequate resources to support the living of those animals. The increase in experiments with the use of animals resulted in the increase in vivisection of the animals. This resulted into increase in controversies due to the increased surgery and dissection of the part of organisms in the body of the animals. One of the proponents of Galenic physiology, Edmund O’Meara was one of the opponents of the use of animals in scientific and chemical experiments. He argued that the severe harm and physiological pain caused to the non-human animals as a result of the dissections conducted during the experiments cause physiological imbalance to the animals which goes unnoticed. The animals subject to experiments are kept awake for a continuous period which is unjustified and unlawful (Gluck, Pasquale and Orlans 140). The unbearable pain borne out by the animals during the process of experiments always stay behind the awareness of the scientists and the researchers. The agonizingly painful processes that are faced by the non-human animals have led the opponents of the view to suggest a ban on the use of animals in experimental procedures. The experiments on the response of brains to the electrical impulses and shocks put the animals under the treatment of electrode bars. The varying electrical impulses are passed on the body of the animals based on the inquisitiveness of the researchers. Even the animals are subject to barbaric torture that is done by the scientists in their pursuit of research. The vocal chords of the non-human animals are also cut so that the cries of pain do not distract the scientists. The miserable pain felt by the animals are not expressed due to the dominating influence of the researchers. The animals are finally captivated to death in order to analyze the impact of the experimental procedures on the various parts of the body of the non-human animals (Monamy 74). Almost 300 million animals are forced to death in the scientific and chemical laboratories where the experiments are performed. The cruelty of the experimental procedures conducted on the animals is unjustified such that no clear explanation could be derived for such actions. Most of the experimental results are inconclusive and are conducted at the cost of lives of millions of non-human animals. The negligence towards the lives of animals leads to cruel scientific and chemical experiments that treat them as only subjects of the experiments. This led to protests in various parts of the world. The animal activists have raised their voice against the offenders and demanded a ban on the use of animals in the experimental procedures. The illogical behavior and the unethical practices carried out during the experiments on animals are the areas which have been addressed in the objection to the use of animals in the experiments. The animals that are commonly used in the experiments are the mammals rather than the birds, insects, fish, etc. Rats, monkeys, chimpanzees are most common subjects to experimental procedures. These animals like monkeys and chimpanzees are considered to have similarity with the humans. Thus carrying out experiments with these animals is likely to produce results that could be applied on mankind. Even after identifying similarities between these mammals and the humans, it was felt to be unethical in badly treating the animals in the course of experiments. The researchers have exhibited no responsibility in treating the animals with care during the course of experiments that are likely to produce findings in their areas of interest. The other point of view held by the opponents of experimentation with the use of animals is from the logical perspective. Due to the dissimilarity between the animals and the human beings, the characteristics of the animals and the human beings are would be different from each other. Hence, it would be illogical to carry out experiments with the use of animals. This led to the view that the use of animals in experiments should be banned. The supporters of the use of animals in the experimental procedures argue that the pioneering discoveries in the field of medicine, academic and defense research in the twentieth century has been the result of use of animals in the process of experiments. Among the supporters of the use of animals in the course of experiments is the British Royal Society, the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research in the National Academy of Sciences in US who agrees with the benefits of the use of animals in the research process. The US National Academy suggests that computer software is also not able to proper model the relationships between the organisms and the environment. These led to increasing importance of usage of animals in the field of experiments and research. Animals have been used continuously in the field of experimentation and research that have led to major discoveries. The process first started in 1831 when the medical practitioners of Dublin Zoo in Ireland found interest in studying the animals when they were alive as well as when they were dead. The germ theory was explained by Louis Pasteur by introducing anthrax in the sheep. The discovery of insulin for the treatment of diabetes mellitus was a result of the experimentation on the dogs. The vaccines and the medicines for leprosy were discovered from the treatment of armadillos in scientific experiments. With time, researches in the field of genetics, development of clone was discovered with the use of animals in experimental processes. These discoveries are evidence to the fact that the use of animals in the scientific, academic, defense experiments have led to great discoveries to the benefit of mankind (Paul and Paul 82). The vaccines for diseases like malaria, rabies have been discovered through ages which are the results of experiments with the use of insects and animals. The proponents of the use of animals in experimental procedures suggest that the activities lead to enhancement of scientific and academic knowledge that could be used for the benefit of mankind. Claud Bernard, the father of physiology explained that the findings from the experiments with the use of non-human animals are very conclusive as the effects of experimental procedures on the non-human animals resemble similar effects on man. The duties and the responsibilities of scientists and the researchers in carrying out experiments with the use of animals are justified as long as the experiments are aimed to benefit the mankind and there is no other alternative available for sustenance of the human race (Hester and Harrison 93). Much responsibility is bestowed on the community, at large in judging the experimental activities from the point of view of saving the non-human subject from the unnecessary cruel treatments of the researchers and at the same time, not interfering on the experimental activities that adopt responsible treatment towards animals and is aimed towards benefits of the society. The experiments on the animals should be as transparent as possible. While the findings of each and every experiment with the help of non-human animal subjects may not be conclusive, it would provide the basic information and prepare the ground for an advanced level of research. For example, the experiments on the discovery of medicine for curing cancer diseases may not produce conclusive findings but would surely provide guidelines for further research in that field. The other incurable diseases like Alzheimer are still prevalent to which the human race has no answer. For discovery of ways of cure of such diseases, the experiments and research with animal subjects are required to be carried out continuously (Hayhurst 15). In order to allow experiments in producing solutions to the challenges faced by mankind, the use of animals in the experimental procedures should not be banned. The countries all over the world have set up regulations in order to deal with the situation where the process of experiments could be conducted in an acceptable manner to safeguard the subjects of research. The first law of animal protection was passed in 1822 by the British Parliament. The Cruelty to Animals Act was passed in 1876 which was aimed at regulating the aspect of animal testing in the process of experiments. The present day regulations are comprehensive in nature that addresses the concerns of animal treatment and at the same time allows the use of animals for the benefit of mankind. The regulations range over various species of invertebrates, vertebrates and mammals that are used in the course of experiments. The roles and duties of the scientists and the researchers during the course of experiments having animal subjects demand responsible behavior of resorting to cruel treatments for fulfilling their inquisition on scientific and academic knowledge (Watson 100). The use of animals in the experiments is justified if it does not have any alternate option available and contributes to the benefits of the society. Works cited Gluck, John., Tony, Pasquale. and Barbara, Orlans. Applied Ethics in Animal Research: Philosophy, Regulation, and Laboratory Applications. USA: Purdue University Press, 2002. Print. Greek, Jean. and Ray, Greek. What Will We Do If We Don't Experiment on Animals: Medical Research for the Twenty-First Century. UK: Trafford Publishing, 2004. Print. Paul, Ellen and Jeffrey, Paul. Why Animal Experimentation Matters: The Use of Animals in Medical Research. UK: Transaction Publishers, 2001. Print. Hester, Ronald and Roy, Harrison. Alternatives to Animal Testing. UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2006. Print. Monamy, Vaughan. Animal Experimentation: A Guide to the Issues. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2000, Print. Watson, Stephanie. Animal Testing: Issues and Ethics. USA: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009. Print. Hayhurst, Chris. Animal Testing: The Animal Rights Debate. USA: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2000. Print. Read More