Question

The use of animals in research is controversial. Investigate this controversy using at least five resources from the South University Online Library. Do you think it is ethical to use animals in research? Explain your reasoning and support your answer with at least three sources from the South University Online Library (these sources must be different from the ones you already used in this assignment).

Answer 1

Animals are used in research as the basic cell processes are same in all animals and they carry out vital functioning like digestion,breathing,reproduction etc like humans. In order to understand the origin, cause and treatment of diseases in humans, animals are used as an experiment due to the similarities in functioning of both. For example, rabbits suffer from hardening of the arteries, a condition called as atherosclerosis, which can be found in humans as well. Cats suffer from impairment in vision , which can be seen in humans too. From these animal models, scientist can detect, understand and study how the disease effect the body and develop treatments in regards to it. However, no ethical scientist would want to use animals unnecessary and keep them in captivity for research purpose. The testing should be done within an ethical framework. The problems with animal research are as follows.

Animals are kept in captivity and some substance that results from animal testing may never bee used on human population. some of these findings never seek societal approval and therefore are never used for human treatment of diseases. In this aspect, not only the animals go through torture and immense pain, but also die in vain as no direct effect and benefit is seen on the general health of the human population. Secondly, the research result from animal testing may not be valid. For example, FDA (2004) concluded that 92% of the drugs that go through their pre-clinical test(which includes The testings done on animals) do notreach the market for human consumption and benefit. It was estimated that nearly 100 vaccines for HIV AIDS delivered potential cure and the dead th of virus in primates, but failed to produce any substantial result on humans. This defies the validity of animal testing. In a nutshell, Animals go through pain and die in worst of conditions for nothing. Neither the research produces any competent result nor it can be used for improving health of the general human population. Last but not the least, animal use in resesrch shoukd be very well grounded under egtical framewirk that would avoid and devoid the researchers to abuse the animal rights, and produce a substantial discovery to help the human population, at the same time. A detailed ethical guideline on the

treatment of animals shoukd be followed by the researcher. This would make the research ethical and the researcher a little more humane in his work.

References.

R.Williams(2000). Animal Revolution: Changing Attitudes Towards Speciesism. Berg Publishers.

Rollin,B.E (2006). "The regulation of animal research and the emergence of animal ethics: A conceptual history". Theoretical medicine and bioethics.

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