Opinions Battle: Is animal experimentation harmful or helpful?
Heck Yes!
by Michael Barry
Issue date: 4/20/09 Section: Opinion
Everyone has seen the commercials and the PSAs about animal testing. It begins with heart wrenching pictures of abused animals. Next comes a barrage of facts and statistics are announced.
The message is clear: animal testing is pure evil. However, is it really as evil as it is portrayed? I say no. Personally, I believe that animal experimentation saves human lives, and is therefore, extremely good.
Since its conception, animal testing has allowed us to experiment with different treatments for differing illnesses without risk to human life. Because of this, we are able to research ways to cure cancer, AIDS, and a plethora of other diseases.
With animal experimentation, we have been able to develop surgical treatments, also without human risk. Until we began animal experimentation, medicine was a complete shot in the dark in regard to whether or not it would work.
We previously used archaic practices such as bleeding out, where the sick were often bleed until they fell unconscious. With animal testing we can avoid treatments that are destructive while perfecting those that are beneficial.
Continuing in the vein, without animal testing we would be forced to risk human lives for every new medication or treatment. This would effectively halt the innovation of modern medicine.
Even if it didn't, which would you rather risk, an animal or a human being? Personally, I say risk the animal.
Nobody likes the fact that sometimes experiments go bad. Nobody enjoys seeing animals suffer. I, too, hate to see animals in pain. However, it would be far worse to see human suffer.
Approximately seven million people die from cancer each year, and while I don't like allowing animals to suffer, I can't say that I would rather allow those people to die each year. Keep in mind, that those are only two diseases for which we are searching for a cure. There are many more.
Which is worse, seeing pictures of abused and dying animals, or having to live knowing there are abused and dying people, whom we are afraid to help? No contest. Animal experimentation should be kept.
The message is clear: animal testing is pure evil. However, is it really as evil as it is portrayed? I say no. Personally, I believe that animal experimentation saves human lives, and is therefore, extremely good.
Since its conception, animal testing has allowed us to experiment with different treatments for differing illnesses without risk to human life. Because of this, we are able to research ways to cure cancer, AIDS, and a plethora of other diseases.
With animal experimentation, we have been able to develop surgical treatments, also without human risk. Until we began animal experimentation, medicine was a complete shot in the dark in regard to whether or not it would work.
We previously used archaic practices such as bleeding out, where the sick were often bleed until they fell unconscious. With animal testing we can avoid treatments that are destructive while perfecting those that are beneficial.
Continuing in the vein, without animal testing we would be forced to risk human lives for every new medication or treatment. This would effectively halt the innovation of modern medicine.
Even if it didn't, which would you rather risk, an animal or a human being? Personally, I say risk the animal.
Nobody likes the fact that sometimes experiments go bad. Nobody enjoys seeing animals suffer. I, too, hate to see animals in pain. However, it would be far worse to see human suffer.
Approximately seven million people die from cancer each year, and while I don't like allowing animals to suffer, I can't say that I would rather allow those people to die each year. Keep in mind, that those are only two diseases for which we are searching for a cure. There are many more.
Which is worse, seeing pictures of abused and dying animals, or having to live knowing there are abused and dying people, whom we are afraid to help? No contest. Animal experimentation should be kept.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Jessica Morenzoni
posted 5/09/09 @ 6:05 PM EST
Each year in the United States an estimated 20-70 million animals?from cats, dogs and primates, to rabbits, rats and mice?suffer and die in the name of research?. (Continued…)
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