It is widely debated whether using non-human species for medical experimentation for the sake of human well-being is acceptable or unethical. While some people believe that it is essential to prioritize human health and life over animals, I strongly believe in the merit of cherishing other sentient beings’ lives.
On one hand, the reason why researchers opt to use animals in their experiments is because they prioritize human safety. They believe that genetic similarities between animals and humans may provide reliable results before applying treatment to human subjects. For example, cosmetic companies utilize rat laboratories to conduct their product research and assess if their treatments are effective in rejuvenating human skin. In addition, complying with ethical and regulatory requirements is necessary. In order to introduce health and cosmetic products into the consuming market, these medical and beauty companies have to go through staggeringly rigorous tests on animals to meet the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States.
On the other hand, it is undeniable that this medical research is actually unethical because all living creatures deserve to live, not to serve human purposes. Taking their lives or causing them pain only for the human benefit is undoubtedly cruel. There are more ethically sound alternatives, such as computer modeling or cell cultures. Furthermore, scientists face limitations in fully understanding outcomes due to differences between human and animal bodies. This can cause misleading results and even a higher chance of risking human health.
Personally, I firmly believe that while human health is essential and should be taken care of properly by authorities and experts, other species’ lives are equally crucial and should be protected by humans. Therefore, I advocate that regulators should encourage health and medical organizations to use artificial intelligence products to produce treatments without the need for animal testing.
In conclusion, even though the sacrifices of animals are perceived as contributions to human development, I still believe that we are capable of using other safer and more humane approaches to medical innovations.