Just as there is a history to supporting animal testing, there is also a history to the opposition of it. Opposition to animal testing has been present for more than 400 years. Another philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, is known for his opposition to using animals in research (Day, 1994). .
Now that I have given a little background I will go into the two sides: those for animal testing in medical research and those against it. I will start with those that support using animal testing. There are organizations that were created to help educate the general public in understanding methods behind animal testing and the importance of it. One is the Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR). It is a group that was established in 1981 to improve the quality of human and animal health by promoting public understanding and support of the ethical use of animals in scientific and medical research. Another group is the Americans for Medical Progress (AMP), created to ensure that the public supports the vital role of animals in medical research and that scientists are able to continue their quest for cures and improved methods of treatment for illness, injury, and disease. One of the best known groups that support animal testing may be the American Medical Association (AMA), comprised of 271,000 physicians (Day, 1994). .
Those who support it say that animal testing contributes to the growing fund of knowledge about genetics, psychology, and neurology. There is a lengthy list of discoveries and technologies that have been attributed to work with animals, such as surgical techniques, diagnostic procedures, and medical treatments. Techniques for cardiac catheterization and laproscopic surgery were found. Animal testing brought about treatments for rabies, smallpox, diabetes, anthrax, rickets, rheumatoid arthritis, whopping cough, and even leprosy. It led to preventions for tetanus, diphtheria, polio, rubella, and measles.
