Animal experiments.
It is claimed that Animal Experiments are necessary for the benefit of
medical science and human health. However, a growing number of doctors and
scientists worldwide are pointing out the fact that animal research is totally
useless and damaging to human health.
Testing a drug or chemical on an animal provides no evidence that it is safe
for humans. This is because of species differences: animals do not react in the
same way to drugs and other substances as we do.
It is true that animal tests give results about the whole body but it is the
wrong body.
Animal tests do harm to people and to animals. Though about 80% of laboratory
animals are rats and mice, these creatures can suffer like any others and
deserve our respect.
So why does Animal Research continue?
Because it is convenient and flexible- it can be used to prove almost anything.
Because many scientists base their entire careers on animal experiments.
Drug companies can say that they have tested their drugs before marketing them.
It is fairly cheap and simple.
It is easy to forget that this is just one method of research- there are
others. They include:
- epidemiology, in which groups of people are monitored to discover the causes
of disease
* test- tube experiments with human tissues for the production of biological
products like vaccines and antibodies.
* Computer simulations of body systems for use in medical research and in
teaching.
These tests have two key advantages over animal experiments there is no
suffering and results are directly relevant to human medicine.