Animal testing is the experimentation on non-human animals. Its purpose is to control the variables that affect the behavior or biological system that is being studied. Animals have been used for biomedical research for thousands of years, dating all the way back to 384 BC by Greek physician-scientists such as Aristotle and Erasistratus. Early scientists such as these conducted animal tests in order to advance their understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology (Hajar 1). In today’s America, over 26 million animals are used in various experiments to develop medical treatments, determine the toxicity of medications, check the safety of products that are potentially going to be used on humans, and other biomedical, commercial, and health care uses (Should Animals Be Used 1). The types of animals that are most commonly used are dogs, monkeys, mice, rats, pigs, and rabbits. The
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However, there are legal requirements that were created to protect the animals that researchers must follow when conducting these experiments. The animals are safeguarded under the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service Policy of Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Moreover, according to the Food and Drug Administration, “[the FDA] advocates that research and testing derive the maximum amount of useful scientific information from the minimum number of animals and employ the most humane methods available within the limits of scientific capability” (Animal Testing and Cosmetics 1). These researchers are using animals for the benefit of the human race, not for no reason at all. They are using the least amount of animals possible, and performing the most humane procedures on them that they can. It is truly unfortunate that sometimes these experiments cause harm to animals, however, it would be even more controversial if the human species was the one to experience this
However, there are legal requirements that were created to protect the animals that researchers must follow when conducting these experiments. The animals are safeguarded under the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service Policy of Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Moreover, according to the Food and Drug Administration, “[the FDA] advocates that research and testing derive the maximum amount of useful scientific information from the minimum number of animals and employ the most humane methods available within the limits of scientific capability” (Animal Testing and Cosmetics 1). These researchers are using animals for the benefit of the human race, not for no reason at all. They are using the least amount of animals possible, and performing the most humane procedures on them that they can. It is truly unfortunate that sometimes these experiments cause harm to animals, however, it would be even more controversial if the human species was the one to experience this