Argument Essay

Where would we be Without Animal Testing?

Is the use of animals in research justified? Should animal experimentation be permitted? Should these animals be liberated? A logical person would say the benefits justify the research. Without animal testing, products would be based on theory. No one would want to use something, which may damage eyes, be poisonous, cancerous, and cause birth defects. Animals used in testing are not from the endangered species list; also many of the types of animals used are killed each year by rat or mouse traps, animal control, exterminators, and animal shelters. Animal testing reaps great benefits such as finding effective drugs to combat disease, improve surgical procedures, and make products safe.

When someone goes to the store and buys a product, or is prescribed medication, they don t have to worry if the product is safe to use nor should they. The entire human race benefits from animal research. Without animal research, medical science would come to a total standstill (O Neil 210). It is not as if Scientist and researchers just sit in their labs all day and torture animals for fun. Not to mention animal use is being reduced as much as possible, most scientist are glad to use alternative test because they are usually faster and cheaper than test on animals (Yount 72). However, you cannot study kidney transplantation or diarrhea or high bloodpressure on a computer screen (O Neil 212). Besides, Animal research has led to vaccines against diptheria, rabies, tuberculosis, polio, measles, mumps, cholera, whooping cough, and rubella. It has meant eradication of smallpox, effective treatment for diabetes and control of infection with powerful antibiotics. The cardiac pacemaker, microsurgery to reattach severed limbs, and heart, kidney, lung, liver and other transplants are all possible because of animal research (O Neil 210).

In short animal testing saves lives. Animal testing helps find causes, and cures of disease, genetic defects, birth defects, and abnormalities. It ensures that products are thoroughly tested and can be safely used. It is an ugly fact that animals are being killed. But surviving is a part of every animal s nature. An as the human race has evolved we have created new means of ensuring our survival. The tests are not to kill life, but to save it. How ever crude and barbaric it is, it is necessary as a means to an end.