No matter where we live or who we are, illness and disease affect us all. In order to develop cures and treatments for the illnesses and diseases that exist in our world, scientists conduct research and experiments. This research is presently under attack because these experiments involve the use of many different animals. Today, animal-rights groups want to ban the use of animals in scientific testing. They cla

I would oppose that argument along with other advocates of animal research. No computer model or cell culture can simulate flesh, muscle, blood, bones, and organs working together in a living system. Without observing and testing the entire living system, scientists cannot explore, explain, or predict the course of many diseases or the effects of treatments. While medical researchers study cell and tissue cultures, these isolated tests provide only isolated results. For example, testing a drug on isolated tissues or organs will not show how a drug affects the whole body. Also, when developing compounds to treat HIV/AIDS, many appeared promising in computer models and in test-tubes, but they proved to be extremely toxic in animals. Even if computer programs could simulate a person’s reaction to a drug or treatment, it would not be ethical to try new drugs or treatments out on humans without first trying them out on animals, whose bodies resemble humans in relevant ways. !

im that animal experimentation and the killing of animals for research is unethical, cruel, and unnecessary. One of the most influential animal-rights groups is PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Their motto is “Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on or use for entertainment.” But what if one of their children developed a rare disease or a life-threatening illness? Wouldn’t they want the best medical treatment and the latest techniques? Do they realize that it is only because of animal research, experimentation, and testing that we have treatments and cures for many of the illnesses and diseases that afflict us?

While many people oppose animal testing because it causes injury or death to the animal, I believe animal research is necessary to develop and test drugs and surgical techniques. According to Nobel Prize winner Sir John Vane quoted by the Research Defense Society on the web, “The medicines of tomorrow will depend upon research being done today, for which animal experimentation is essential.” Researchers agree that the use of animals is absolutely critical for most of the HIV/AIDS research conducted today. Every drug presently used to treat HIV-infection and its complications came about from animal experimentation. Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop was quoted by the Americans for Medical Progress Educational Foundation on

Some topics in this essay:
Educational Foundation, Medical Association, Treatment Animals, Physiological Society, , Christopher Reeves, Inspection Service, Christopher Reeve, Defense Society, Street Journal, animal research, animal experimentation, animal testing, animal-rights activists, animals scientific, animal welfare, human patients, spinal cord, animals animal-rights, unethical cruel, unethical cruel unnecessary, according american medical, american medical association, animals scientific medical, animal research develop,