This essay disagrees with the prohibition of animal testing due to its importance to scientific advancements and the need to ensure people’s safety.To begin with, animal experimentation helps to foster progress on scientific research. In the past, numerous disease outbreaks have occurred due to humans’ interactions with certain species such as bats or rodents. In fact, rodents have been the reason behind the infamous Black plague that led to the death of half of the European population in the 14th century. By conducting experiments on animal models, scientists can develop a thorough understanding of the roots of these diseases and potentially develop cures to prevent future occurrences. This has been evident in 2020, when the first vaccine to Covid-19 was developed after numerous trials conducted on subjects such as mice, pigs and non-human primates.Secondly, experimentation on animals prevents casualties due to the risk involved in testing medical and cosmetic products. Human trials, especially during the first stages, carry the danger of severe side effects or even death. For example, the death of a French man in 2016 after experiencing unprecedented effects from a drug trial reminds us of the potential hazards of bypassing animal testing. Moreover, if such incidents continue, fewer volunteers would be willing to participate in these experiments, leading to a decline in the reliability of the results.
Some animal activists may assert that animal testing is cruel and inhumane. For them, these creatures do not deserve to be perished for scientific purposes. Instead, they accuse researchers of animal cruelty, which is evident through their constant physical abuse and the mental distress left on these innocent beings. However, I believe that this is nothing but a hypocritical claim. Millions of animals still undergo intense pain before being killed by their predators in the wild. However, nobody actually expresses concerns about this reality but solely focuses on those being held in captivity.
In conclusion, I believe that there are a lot of advantages in using animals for testing products, which includes encouraging the development of scientific research and mitigating the risks that human subjects might undergo during these trials.