Animal Testing Pros

It has been a very common practice to test a household compounds, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products on animals for a very long time. As a matter if fact, it has been estimated that nearly 20 million animals are used for testing and are killed annually. Out of these, 15 million are tested for medication and 5 million are tested for other products. Reports also indicate that about 10% of these animals are not administered with adequate pain killers. Across the world, new products ranging from cancer drugs to soaps and shampoos are tested on the animals. There are many questions regarding the ethics of using animals for testing. Hence, several regulations have been put in place that evaluate and control the animals that are being used for testing purposes. It is believed that these regulations will ensure that research is carried out in as humane and as ethical manner as possible. However, these regulations are also under a lot of argumentation. A survey conducted in the American Medical Association indicates that 99% of all active physicians in the United States believe that animal research has given rise to medical advancements. In fact, about 97% of the physicians also supported the continuous use if animals for clinical and basic research. The main reason behind this is the fact that scientists have found that there is very little or difference between the lab animals and humans. A British organization by the name Research Defense Society (RDS) that was instituted to defend animal testing indicates that most of the complaints made against animal testing are not correct and also that animal testing generates invaluable information about how new drugs would react inside a living body. The tests have to be continued in order to detect information of any major health problems that can be caused by the drugs like liver damage, enhanced blood pressure, nerve damage and damages to the fetus Animal Testing Pros When every member in our family is hale and hearty, it is very difficult to understand as to why the innocent animals are used for testing purposes that usually ends up killing them. But it usually starts to make more sense when someone in the family or you yourself starts suffering from a life threatening disease. It is a very symbiotic relationship that is also a very integral part of medical research. Testing on animals has helped develop vaccines for many life threatening diseases like Herpes Simplex, Hepatitis B, Polio, rabies, malaria, mumps and virus related to organ transplantation rejection. In addition to this, animal testing has also helped in the refinement of procedures related to measuring the blood pressure, pacemaker technology and the perfection of the heart and lung diseases. You will be surprised to read that anesthesia which is used to numb the body during surgery and acute pain is available today after it was successfully tested on animals first. Human beings are not the only living creatures that have benefited from animal testing. Heart worm medication was devised from research on animals and has to day helped in saving the lives of many dogs. Animal research has also provided better understanding of cat nutrition and the reasons behind as to why cats live longer and remain healthier are better understood. Finding a cure and a vaccine for AIDS has become one of the most important goals of the medical research industry. The animal models for AIDS are a very important part of the research as they help in understanding the biology of immune-deficiency viruses. The fact of the matter is that to make advances in the field of medicines, animal testing is a must. Restraining or banning the testing by animal activists will not help in any way. It is up to us and all individuals belonging to animal organizations and medical research to ensure that the same is carried out in a safe, ethical manner causing as little pain and discomfort possible to the animal. If animal testing was to be outlawed then there would be very little scope of obtaining information that would be very necessary to eliminate suffering and premature deaths in both humans and animals.

Arguments Against Animal Testing

There are no real alternatives to animal experimentation, as alternatives are those options that arise in order to replace something of somewhat the same worth, and there is nothing else in the world that is quite as useless, harmful and misleading as animal experimentation. This is why animal rights activists all over the world should start declining medicines that have been tested on animals.

"I have studied the question of vivisection for thirty-five years and am convinced that experiments on living animals are leading medicine further and further from the real cure of the patient. I know of no instance of animal experiment that has been necessary for the advancement of medical science; still less do I know of any animal experiment that could conceivably be necessary to save human life." -H. Fergie Woods, M.D. Clearly, it is pretty much impossible to untest a particular drug. Now that the knowledge of its use is already with us, most individuals dont even bother looking into the means through which it was initially obtained. Yes, of course a person may very well regret the fact that insulin came about only after experimenting on dogs, but they are basically powerless when it comes to changing the fact. What we need to know is that animal testing doesnt have a monopoly on the existence of insulin or on the existence of any substance being used to treat some kind of illness. On the other hand, it would be very wrong to state that animal testing has no scientific merit to it. However, the practical and humanitarian justification of animal testing must be called into question when you consider other similar evil practices like imperialism and slavery, which were at one time most certainly acceptable and useful to their perpetrators. The most commonly held perception (or rather misconception) of animal testing is that it is necessary for the development of cures, vaccines and other treatments for human illnesses. Supporters ask a very important question what would happen to research on cancer, heart disease and AIDS if animal experimentation were to be completely stopped? Will the progress in treatments and cures for such illnesses also come to a stop? There is a rapidly growing movement of healthcare professionals that include scientists; doctors and even some educated members of the public who are extremely opposed to animals based testing, specifically on scientific and medical grounds. They are of the opinion that animal testing and research is completely based on false premises, that the results that are obtained from such experimentation cannot be applied to the human body. Not only do animals react differently from humans where drugs, experiments and vaccines are concerned, but they also tend to react differently from each other. Ignoring these differences has been and will continue to be extremely costly to human health. One of the most famous examples when it comes to the dangers of animal experimentation would have to be the Thalidomide Tragedy of the 60s and 70s. Thalidomide was a drug that came out of the German market and was previously considered to be safely tested on thousands and thousands of animals. It was then marketed as a wonder drug; an amazing sedative for breastfeeding or pregnant mothers and it supposedly could cause no harm to either the mother or the child. Despite this apparent safety testing, tens of thousands of children whos mothers had used this drug were born with severe deformities. Another good example of the dangers of animal testing is Clioquinol, which was also supposed to be safely tested on animals and later on had a severely adverse impact on humans. Manufactures in the 70s in Japan, it was marketed as a wonder drug for providing relief from diarrhea. Not only did it not work on humans, but it even cause diarrhea in them! As a result of this drug being administered to the public, thousands of cases of paralysis and blindness and thousands of death cases occurred all over. Now do you think that these two examples were just isolated cases exceptions? Even though most drugs are routinely tested on animals, reports have shown that hundreds of thousands of people are killed every year and more than 2 million are hospitalized due to these prescription drugs. Reports have also shown that at least 4 out of every 10 patients who use a prescription drug can expect to

suffer from sever or even noticeable side effects. Many clinical observers will agree that the incidence of medically induces diseases are now so great that roughly 1 in every 10 hospitals beds will be occupied by patients who have been made ill by their doctors. So, what happens to all those important breakthroughs caused by animal testing, and that have enormously aided the overall human health? The animal research industry has given many examples of the success of cures and treatments for different illnesses that have only been found through animal testing. They believe that if animal experimentation is stopped, then it will be at the expense of life and the human health. However, animal research has not aided in the fight against any of the major diseases. Take cancer for example. Animal research has not aided in the least bit when it comes to warding off cancer. In fact, it has managed to divert resources from effective research and from the wisest of all solutions prevention. With countless innocent animals, billions of dollars and more than 30 to 40 years being spent on the war against cancer, one would expect concrete results to show up if animal experimentation was actually as effective as it is made out to be. On the contrary, the incidence of cancer has grown and continues to grow. Many cancer funds and organizations have claimed that we are now losing the war against cancer because this animal-based cancer research is failing, and it just downright stinks. What progress has been made in the study of AIDS? Animals are still being used for experiments even though they are not capable of developing the AIDS virus. The development of those lifesaving protease inhibitors was initially delayed because of the misleading data that came out of experiments on monkeys. What good does it do to us, humans, to test something on them, monkeys? Youll probably find out some 5 to 6 years from now that it works on monkeys, but once you test it on humans, then youll realize that humans behave completely different. So, you just wasted five precious years of your life. Clearly, if you we are looking to make any progress in medicine, an entirely new approach is required. Human medicine should no longer be dependent on veterinary medicine. It is dangerous and fraudulent to apply data retrieved from one species to another entirely different species. Animal testing will continue to confuse all issues and their results will most definitely be precise and accurate. There is no basic connection between animal testing and the human health. The general belief in the goodness of animal testing is basically the result of brainwashing that the general public has been subjected to for a long, long time. Behind these torturous practices are the pharmaceutical companies that spend billions of dollars on financing and publicizing the research universities and institutes. I rest my case.

Researchers to Conduct SARS Tests on Animals

by Amanda Katz and Patricia Collier The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Organization for Animal Health have asked a team of Australian scientists to infect a number of chickens, pigs and cats with the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) to help determine if the disease originated in animals. Chickens were selected because they are thought to have been responsible for the first cases of SARS, which occurred in the Guangdong province of China. Pigs are to be used because they are the source of many zoonotic diseases. The reaction of cats to the virus will be studied because they are susceptible to feline infectious peritonitis, a virus similar to the one that causes SARS. The scientists are going to conduct their research in a laboratory in Geelong that is the most secure facility of its type in the world. Fear that the virus responsible for SARS may be carried by animals has prompted a large number of individuals in Asia to abandon or even kill their pets.

"There is the possibility that (SARS) originates from animals, but there are no signs that pets are able to carry the virus that causes it," said University of Hong Kong professor Dr. Malik Petis. "There is no need for pet owners to worry."

Animal Testing Facts

It is sad that the self proclaimed superior in the animal kingdom should use products and medication at the expense of the death and abuse of lower species. It is important to stay updated on the facts about animal testing.

Facts about Animal Testing There are live animal experiments authorized and around the world, animals are now used as objects of experiments, to test a variety of products. The product range is as diverse as skin creams and shampoos to cancer prevention drugs and vaccines. In certain countries, the law specifies that a new drug should essentially be tested on at least two different species of live mammal, one of which must be a large non-rodent! Even though the Animals Act specifies that there should be no animal experiments conducted if there is a realistic alternative and yet, almost every medication in the market has been tested on animals. Animals have been used in the development of anesthetics to prevent human suffering during surgery! Understanding the extent of damage It is very important to be sensitive to the treatment meted out to these lower species. In fact, it is our power of discrimination and reasoning and sensitivity that actually makes us superior. It is disgusting to note that less than 2% of all human illnesses are on record in the animal kingdom, and yet we use them to find cures to self inflicted illnesses that have been invited upon us with unhealthy and restructured living and eating habits. Research reveals that only 5 to 25% of the animal tests and human results are agreeable! Most of the drugs passed by animal tests are now discarded as useless to humans then why test in the first place? The effects of animal testing on animals The conditions under which the animals are subjected to human experimentation have caused tumors in rodents, while the animal test results were declared to be of little relevance for humans! The only explanation being offered for this declaration is the fact that there are anatomical and physiological differences between animals and humans. It is important to note that although animals are almost always used in cancer research, they never get the human form of cancer which affects membranes like the lungs. Almost 9% of the anaesthetized animals in the laboratory die! Where do the differences lie? It is interesting to note that 83% of substances are metabolized differently by animals and humans. Most medical experts agree that data from animal tests cannot be extrapolated safely to human patients. In animal testing, while lemon juice, which is safe fro humans, is a deadly poison arsenic and botulin are safe. Genetically modified animals cannot be models for human illness. In fact 88% of still-births on record are caused by drugs that are passed as safe in animal tests. The human angle Out of the recorded number of deaths attributed to medical treatment via drugs passed post-animal testing, the truth is that majority cases were hospitalized due to faulty procedure adopted and wrong method of application. 40% human patients display side effects as a result of prescriptions and most of the medicines released post-animal testing, only a very small percentage is essential. A small

percentage of fatal illnesses and a negligible percentage of organic based illness are caused by medications that have animal tested. Contrary to the lifesaving epithet used when referring to science and medicine, the operation for ectopic pregnancies was delayed due to vivisection! It has been proved that the discovery of anesthetics has nothing to do with prior experiments on animals. In fact, the fluroxene has been universally recognized as a dramatic example of misleading evidence from animal data'. While aspirin fails animal tests, insulin causes animal birth defects. Despite the global aplomb and Nobel prizes to dedicated vivisectors, less than half of them agree that animal experiments are crucial. The world of science has on record more than 400 methods that can effectively replace animal experiments. It is important to consider the options since at least thirty-three animals die in laboratories each second worldwide. There is no doubt that medical progress can be achieved without abusing animals.

Animal Testing Statistics

Animal testing statistics is a touchy and sensitive subject for many individuals. There is a lot of hue and cry over the ever increasing animal testing statistics from organizations working in the field of animal rights. To know more about the animal testing statistics, read on.

It is all about sensitivity and empathy that us humans are capable of showing towards other species that share this world with us. For a long time, we have used animals especially, guinea pigs, cats, mice, rabbits, monkeys and dogs etc, for the purpose of testing drugs and cosmetic formulations. The animal testing statistic is on the rise because pharmaceuticals and cosmetic companies along with domestic product manufacturers are spending billions of dollars on animal testing. They are using these animals to test their chemical preparations or drugs on, in order to detect and study the effectiveness or the adverse effects of such drugs. Animal Testing Statistics Animal testing is a multifaceted issue. There are those people who lend their support for animal testing and naturally, some are against it. There are individuals, who cannot weigh the animal testing pros and cons to decide for themselves which side of the fence they are going to get off. Individuals, who doesn't know anything about animal testing statistics or choose to ignore what it implies are also part of the scene, through their consumption of the products tested on the animals. The issue is now being weighed in numbers i.e. animal test statistics. The following are some of the animal testing facts based on the data available, especially, in the United States: Each year 56 to 100 million cats and 54 million dogs are born in the United States. Annually, the number of dogs and cats that are put to death in animal shelters is between 10.1 and 16. 7 million. Dogs and cats that are used in research are taken out of animal shelters. These animals would otherwise be euthanized. Their number comes to approximately 1.1% of dogs and cats euthanized in shelters. At the most one dog or cat is used in research while at the same time 50 are destroyed in animal shelters. The approximate number of animals used in research, each year, is 17-22 million which is much smaller as compared to the 5 billions animals that are killed and consumed for food, each year. Most of the research is conducted on rodents such as rats or mice. Rodents constitute 85-90% of the research animals. Out of the total, only 0.5% of research animals are non-human primates. It is said that 61% of the animals used in research suffer no pain, as against 6% that experience pain. 31% of the animals are relieved of pain through a euthanasia. The animal test statistic points to the fact that 50% of all animals used in cosmetic testing die 2-3 weeks after the experiments.

The animal statistics also show that at least 12 million animal testing experiments were conducted in Europe during 2005. In 2005, 2.3 million animals were used in France, where as Germany made use of 1.8 million animals. Finland and Ireland managed to lower the number of animals used for testing. On the other hand, animal testing statistics make it clear that countries like Sweden, Spain and Greece almost doubled their use of animals for testing. In Europe, there is a lot of public support for ban on animal testing. On the contrary, animal testing statistics show that there is a 2.3% increase in the number of animals used for testing. The United Kingdom has banned cosmetic testing since 1990. France, which is one of the most influential nations in Europe, is against the ban on animal testing.

Animal Testing Pros The arguments forwarded by the cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies, government and private research firms and individuals that support animal testing are as follows. Here is an animal testing pros list: Animal testing helps them in making safe products, before they are launched in the market for human consumption. The decrease in human deaths due to cardiovascular diseases is because of the knowledge gained out of animal testing and research. The animals are used in research, only when they are indispensable. Animal testing helps preserve the environment. During research the animals are treated humanely.

Animal Testing Cons The basic argument that the animal rights activists have managed to gain public support for, is that under the disguise of these tests the animals are genetically modified, force-fed with harmful chemicals, blinded, scalded and are mimed. This is nothing but animal abuse or animal cruelty. The following is an animal testing cons list: The side against the animal tests proclaims that the main reason for conducting animal tests is to earn profit at the expense of animals and avoiding lawsuits from unsatisfied consumers. Most of the times, these animals are used in the research of the conditions or diseases that are not found in them naturally, such as different type of cancers to which humans falls prey or HIV. Animal rights activists believe that animals have as an equal right to life as that of human beings and they are especially against animal testing in cosmetic industries. They also propose that alternatives available to animal experimentation such as chemical assay tests, tissue, cell and organ culture systems, cloned human skin cells and patches, computer and mathematical models be employed, which they think, will produce the same results as that of animal testing.

The issue of animal testing is muddled because of both sides presenting their own information on this subject, supplemented with animal tests statistics, in the ways best suited for them. It appears that the decrease in the number of animals used for the testing, in one place is compensated by the increase in the number of the same, in other parts of the world.