Argumentative Essay: The Use Of Animal Testing For Medical Reasons

There is no way to fully condone animal testing, yet there are many positives that overrides the negatives. It has been around since ancient Greece, but the “modern day” use of animals for medical reasons has been happening for about 150 years. The use of animal testing for medical reasons is needed to provide cure to diseases, ensure the use of new medications, and there are limited reliable alternatives.
Firstly, the use of animals for medical has helped immensely by: providing cure to some diseases, shows how a new medication affects the animal, and show how a disease affect an animal. In recent years there has been a few inventions that are trying to eliminate the use of animals, but these alternatives are limited and not reliable. A medication called Ganciclovir that treats people who are infected with HIV is a “life- saving drug… all this was define by prudent animal testing” (Corey) this is just one example of what good animal testing. Likewise, without the testing upon animal’s people would be taking this drug and others blindly unknowing of
their side-effect. During the test they found out that it causes sterility in animals which matched with humans. Animals are not just used to see the effect of medication; additionally, they test household cleaning objects. “Toxicity testing on animals has been invaluable” it helps to prevent “a parent worst nightmare: the death of a child”. (Lankford) Animal testing saves many children that may accidentally swallow something that may be poisonous. The testing also provides what chemicals are safe to use and what are not. Furthermore, with the advancements of technology provides new inventions. An alternative for animal testing is called Vitro Methods, but according to HPB, “new methods can never totally replace testing in an appropriate animal model.” (Lankford) With real animal models scientist can if a medication has different side effects with the same types of animals, but with variations. Not all animals are the same, as with humans. There are so many reasons why animal testing should be banned.
The use of animals is not only inhumane and unethical, and the testing upon the animal is unreliable and inaccurate. After new medication “passed” on animals it was able to be available to people, yet “more than half of the medications released between 1976 and 1985 were taken off the market” (Greek). There were 102 medications that cause many serious side effects such as: heart attack, kidney failures, seizures, liver failure, and so forth. Which did not developed when they were tested on animals. Most people believe that all humans are equal. No group of people is superior towards another. Would it ok to be “prepared to sacrifice some member of our own species to benefits others” (Garner) It would not be, then why is it ok for people to do it to animals? It would be inhumane and unethical to kill another person, and many believe the same with
animals.
Ultimately, there are negative towards animal testing. There are no positive towards the animals that are having the medications, drugs, diseases testing on them. Still what they provide after, is irreplaceable. What they provide is the safety of the use of new medications and how drugs and disease affect them and then humans. The use of animal testing needs to continue for medical reason.