Animal Experimentation Issue - Coursework Example

Animal testing Also known as animal experimentation or animal research, animal testing refers to the use of non-human animals in scientific studies. The natures of the scientific studies vary from students at a university observing the behavior of mice to the complex medical testing where medical researchers use primates and mice to test new drugs. Advancement in such vital sectors of the modern society as health arises from the success of animal testing. Before introducing any drug in the market for human use, medical researchers try such drugs on various animals that exhibit similar traits to humans. The same applies to cosmetics since researchers investigate for the suitability of such products in animals. Animal testing therefore is a vital practice in education, defense and breading researchers with most governments formulating appropriate legislations to guide the use of animals in studies as the discussion below portrays. Government regulation is essential in safeguarding the rights of both the animals and the humans who engage in the practice. Proponents of animals testing argue on the positive attributes of the practice key among which is the fact that animal testing enhances the growth of knowledge thereby bettering such vital sciences as medicine and social arts among many others. “they feel that the scientific advances that have emerged from animal testing-such as polio vaccine and measles, cancer chemotherapy and open heart surgery- far outweigh any pain, suffering or death the animals may experience” (Hayhurst 72). Opponents of the practice on the other hand argue in favor of the animals. They claim that using animals is both unethical and breaches the rights of the animals. The studies disrupt the natural existence of the animals in their respective habitats. Furthermore, the testing includes inserting harmful substances in the bodies of the animals possibly endangering or killing such animals. Such individuals oppose the practice based on the ethical implications and the rights of the animals. Despite the above arguments, both parties contend that animal testing is important and advantageous in medical practice among others. Toxicology testing is one such important tests conducted on animals. Just as the name suggests, it refers to the testing of the toxic levels in such finished products as pesticides thereby establishing the suitability of such products. The tests investigate for the effectiveness of such pesticides and their effects on other animals including humans. The tests include testing both the ingredients and the finished products. Researchers try both the ingredients and the finished products on both the pests and other animals with the view to determining both the effectiveness of the pesticides in killing the pests and their side effects. This way, the developers of such products guarantee the effectiveness of their products while safeguarding the safety of products. Such tests always include sparing the pesticide on such pests as mosquitos, weevils and bedbugs among many others. Such are bad animals that inconvenience humans. Killing them simply makes the society safer for humans. Genetic modification is a contemporary term in agriculture that refers to the process of restructuring the genetic composition of either an animal or plant with the view to equipping them with better traits. Genetic modifications in animals involves cross breeding and the actual transfer of tissues from one animal to another. Such biological testing of animals seeks to create better breeds of animals that can resist both adverse climatic conditions and diseases among many others. Restructuring the genes of animals serves to t human lives by safeguarding food security. Proposition and opposition for the practice varies depending on the varying viewpoints. Food security is an important factor that enhances the longevity of the human population. As such, governments continue to encourage biological researches on animals in order to develop better breeds. Xenotransplantation is one such practice that involves the transfer of tissues from a specie of a particular animal to another. Xenotransplantation is a vital medical process used by medical doctors in overcoming the shortage of organs in humans especially during transplant. The DNA of primates is closely similar to that of humans. As such, doctors use primates to transfer tissues from other animals such pigs thereby enhancing the determination of better ways of overcoming such challenges faced during brogan transplant such as shortage of organs. The most recent successful xenotransplantation involved the transferring cells that secrete insulin cultivated in a pig to a human. The project caused a reeducation in the need for insulin by the people. Such are fundamental breakthroughs that help improve the effectiveness of drugs. However, tissue rejection is always a major concern since it causes deaths of the animals besides causing them major health complications. Such concerns validate the opposition for such tests. Drug testing and education are yet other types of animal testing, “testing drugs on animals help prove the safety of the drugs thus suitability for human consumption” (Monamy 32). Drug tests always involve a series of independent tests such as metabolic tests. These include tests on the absorption of the drugs once ingested by the animals. Medical researchers introduce the drug into the animals either through an injection or orally before observing the absorption process. Toxicology test and efficacy studies are the other tests that help substantiate the suitability and safety of drug for human use. Medical researchers observe the effects of the drugs on animals thereby developing a pattern they would anticipate on humans. This way, the researchers develop safe drugs for humans. Regulations and ethics are fundamental factors that influence the nature of concern from both opponents and proponents of animal testing. Educational facilities such as schools and universities continue to experiment with animals. “This scientific experiments may not be the most pleasant experience, but it can help students learn about biology and discover what an animal’s organ look like and how they work” (Watson 10) The military department on the other hand continues to use animals in testing weapons. Such forms of animal testing increase the number of animals used for testing annually. As such, the American government through the Animal Welfare Act for example permits people to use animals for any studies provide the people can justify such studies. Additionally, the American government continues to encourage the use of non-animal alternatives wherever possible. Anyone carrying a scientific research using animals must therefore consult with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, which establishes the safety and suitability of such studies. Observation of ethics is vital in animal testing. The ethics in this context rely on 3Rs, which provide a non-partisan approach to the debate. The three include replacement, reduction and refinement. Replacement encourages the use of non-animals in conducting the researches whenever possible. Computer modeling is a vital example and preferred alternative for animal testing. Replacement in education is likely to provide better results than using actual animals. Reduction on the other hand encourages the use of fewer animals per study, “researchers should strive to obtain comparable data especially in similar studies” (Hester and Roy 121). This helps limit the number of animals used in studies thereby limiting the scope of the perceived pain inflicted on the animals during the studies. Refinement investigates and considers the pain that the animals face during the studies thereby calling for better ways of using the animals without causing them intense pain. Such methods as non-invasive techniques help reduce the pain and distress animals are likely to face during the studies. In retrospect, animal testing is an essential practice that enhances the growth of knowledge thereby enhancing the process of bettering human lives. As such, researchers will continue to use animals in laboratory experiments. While both proponents and opponents of animal testing continue to maintain contradictory discourses, the truth remains that animal testing is practical and continues to facilitate medical findings thus enhancing the quality of life for humans. The government should therefore formulate appropriate policies to safeguard the interests of both the professionals and the animals in order to enhance the safety and suitability of the studies. Works cited Hayhurst, Chris. Animal Testing: The Animal Rights Debate. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2000. Print. Hester, R E, and Roy M. Harrison. Alternatives to Animal Testing. Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2006. Print. Monamy, Vaughan. Animal Experimentation: A Guide to the Issues. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print. Watson, Stephanie. Animal Testing: Issues and Ethics. New York: Rosen Pub, 2009. Print. Read More