In our dangerously unexplained world, one that is populated with illness and disease, many discoveries have yet to be made, ones able to find solutions for a myriad of unresolved problems. Animal testing has historically served as a way to shield humans from the potential complications that may occur during the testing process. I believe that animal testing should not be completely outlawed, but the use of alternatives should be taken into consideration. This essay will discuss this distinct point.
To put this into detail, we must first consider the advantages that animal experimentation has provided the human society. From a scientific perspective, humans share a notable chunk of their DNA with animals. This allows scientists to observe how animal bodies can react to certain types of products, including drugs, chemicals, nutrients, etc, and assume how effective that product’s use will be on humans. Without these implications being made, it will be incredibly hard to mass-produce drugs and other needed materials to successfully cure or treat the ill.
A relevant example could be the production of Covid-19 vaccines. To further elaborate, amid the pandemic, people were dying at unspeakably fast rates and vaccines were becoming a necessity. If animal testing had been outlawed, then these treatments would not have been produced at the rate at which they were, and the virus, with all its intensity, would not have been eradicated. This is one of the many instances where animal testing has led to several scientific discoveries.
While I do strongly believe in the power that this method holds, I also understand how unethical animal testing could be. As the use of animals for scientific procedures has been the primary resort for most corporations, companies have exploited these animals and denied them freedom and basic rights. I believe that only safe procedures that do not directly harm the health of these animals should be used.
In instances where these safe regulations cannot be applied, alternatives must be considered. For example, the use of technology. It is by now clear that technology is advancing beyond our human comprehension and more individuals are entering tech-based fields such as bioinformatics, engineering, and robotics. These individuals can find the intersection between technology and medicine/science, and thus find a way not only more accurate but less harmful to the lives of these animals.
In conclusion, it is simply unrealistic to completely outlaw animal testing. Our scientific systems have relied on this method for far too long, and it is integrated into almost every step of the production process. However, with the rise of technology, many alternatives can be implemented, and it is our responsibility as a society to investigate them further.