For over a decade now a reoccurring issue has been discussed, whether or not animals should be used for scientific experimentation. More than 2.5 million live animal experiments were authorized in Great Britain in 2000. This number has halved since the 1970s (Animal Port). Yet many protest groups and activist have arisen to try and put an end to the use of animals in scientific experimentation. The problem with this is that they don’t realize how much it has helped us over the years. Even though many people disagree I support animal testing because it is very productive. However, what people don’t realize is that the use of animals in scientific experimentation has helped us discover new cures, treatments, and information about the body, is overseen by institutional review boards, and sometimes doesn’t even hurt the animal but only rewards them.
Without the scientific testing of animals, many medical developments that we know now would never have been discovered. Cures and treatments have been developed that save human lives. Treatments for diabetes, cancer, and etc. would not have been available if it were not for animal testing. Animal testing isn’t just for discovering new things about the human body but to help us all as a whole. Think of how many things could have needlessly hurt and killed humans if they had not done animal testing first? Might I even add that many things that have been discovered through animal testing also benefit other animals, not just humans?
A good number of testing is just behavioral studies where they just try to get the animal to do a simple task and reward them with an incentive. However, when they do conduct animal experimentation, it is overseen by institutional review boards to ensure that they are not being wrong and that their best interest is in mind. Often after experimentation, animals are placed in new homes where they are taken care of and treated very well. So from my point of view it seems like it is only a win-win situation seeing as we both benefit from the cause.
Animals should be used for scientific research simply because of all the information we have gained from it in the past. Yes, it is true some animals do die from testing but would you rather an animal die or a human? Until there is a new solution those are our only two options. Much of medical research has been derived from experiments