Sample Essay On Animal Testing Is Beneficial To Humans

It is indeed true that animal research and testing has greatly benefited humans in as far as health and medicine are concerned. Today, polio cases are unheard of safe for a few developing nations that have also tried so much to combat it. That is so because vaccines have been developed and tested on animals and have proven to work. Many advances in vaccines have been developed, and their viability has been proven because they have been tested on animals. But despite the benefits humans seem to enjoy, the debate is raging high as to whether animal testing is the only possible way of testing these vaccines. It is for that reason that very many people believe that animal testing is immoral and should be stopped. In this essay, it will become obvious that animal testing is good and is a good way of developing vaccines that have and will benefit humans now and the future.
Animal testing gives room to scientists to create and test the viability of new drugs that are meant to cure human, animal and plant diseases. Some of the animals used are monkeys, rabbits, and mice because they have physical processes that are almost similar to those of humans (Fano 19). And, it is for that reason that scientists would rather they carried out their tests on these animals and not humans. In the event that these drugs have adverse effects on the animal, then they are not recommended for use on humans. That way, the lives of humans are spared, and negative side effects that might turn out fatal are avoided (Monamy 21). It could have been a different story if the vaccines are tested on humans and they end up losing their lives. That means that to this day, many lives could have been lost simply because of testing a vaccine that may have never worked on humans.
Another good thing about animal testing is the fact that it is a cheap and easy process. That is so because there is a huge supply of animals for medical research because they can be found in very large numbers (Fano 34). These animals can easily be bred and are produced in large numbers. Secondly, their breeding can be controlled in such a way that they can be produced in large numbers and in a short time. They can also be easily maintained in controlled places such as laboratories. That makes them be readily available because it is not as if researchers and scientists are going to look for them in their habitats and encroach on those that are out there. If these tests could have been done on humans, it could have been a costly affair considering that humans cannot be bred, kept and controlled in laboratories just like the animals used in the testing of vaccines.
There are people who feel that animal testing is so cruel especially to animals whose lives are innocently taken or endangered. That is very true considering that these animals have no say about any procedures done on them. But the opponents of animal testing and research do forget that humans need these drugs, and there is no way these tests are going to be conducted on humans (Watson 89). It is worse off to let people die or negatively affect their lives simply because of testing a drug on them. Furthermore, they forget that there are provisions that ensure that researcher and scientists do not wrongly treat animals on their line of research. There is no form of cruelty exercised when doing these procedures (Watson 37). In as much as the lives of these animals are taken, it is all for a god cause especially when people will stop and only focus on how beneficial these vaccines have been and will be to humans.
Genetic information found in animals and humans may be different, but the truth is that there are similarities that support animal testing and research on them that can be applicable to humans. Evidence from past experience confirms that, because the vaccines that have been tested and tried on animals before have proven that the vaccines and drugs are good enough for humans (Hayhurs 49). It is indeed true that there are drugs that have backfired on humans and have also been withdrawn from use on humans because of their side effects. But then not all drugs have been withdrawn. There is always room for errors especially considering that they are just being tried, and when they work out then they are used. It is not good to rule out animal testing on a few failures that have been witnessed while ignoring the great benefits humans have had from it. The truth is that there could be a lot of problems in the health of humans today if most of these vaccines that are used today were not there.
It is not wise that animal testing and research is called off because several researches have been conducted before and that there are enough vaccines out there. It is true that there are drugs and vaccines out there, but they are not enough to curb most of the health problems experienced today (Monamy 112). That is true especially when because there are new conditions and ailments that are coming up every day. A case in point is the HIV and Aids and Ebola virus whose complete cure has not yet been established to this day. If animal testing is stopped at this point, it will become difficult to establish the right vaccines that will help in the cure of some of these ailments. One should also look at the fact that HIV and Aids have been around for a couple of decades now, and its cure has not yet been developed. It is imperative that researchers use animals to continue conducting animal tests so that they get to develop new and better vaccines.
The truth is that animal testing and experimentation is out to test products for the safety of humans. It is not ethical either if a product was used on humans when one is sure that it is going to affect their lives. That goes beyond drugs and covers other products such as soaps, cooking oils, and even shampoos. Some of these tests are done to test the toxicity of the products so that they are proven to be good enough for human use (Fano 56). It is pointless to have a product in the market, that will be used by humans and cause them adverse health complications. At the same time, it is good to take precaution and avoid exposing humans to dangerous toxins. It is also good to be sure of the efficacy and liability of products that are meant for human consumption.
Some people may feel that animal testing is not the best of things to do, but it is also good that they realize how much humans stand to benefit from these procedures. It is not right that humans are left to suffer from a condition or ailment because there is no cure when it is possible to find a cure through animal testing and research. Opponents of animals testing might be right in their argument against it, but it is also good to look at its benefits in the long run. Animal testing is very important in the world today, and there is no way humans can live without it lest they are left to suffer when there is something that can be done. And that is not ethical in any way. Of course, it is the responsibility of humans to take care of their animals, but then they have a right over them and can use them for the good of the animals and themselves too.

Works Cited

Fano, Alix. Lethal Laws: Animal Testing, Human Health, and Environmental Policy. London: Zed Books, 1997. Print
Hayhurst, Chris, Animal Testing: The Animal Rights Debate. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2000. Print
Monamy, Vaughan. Animal Experimentation: A Guide to the Issues. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print
Watson, Stephanie. Animal Testing: Issues and Ethics. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2009. Print