Many people believe that animal testing is cruel and should be considered illegal by law, whilst others think that these experiments are crucial for scientific discoveries. while animal testing can be justified in medical research as it lacks suitable alternatives, other industries where alternatives exist should abandon this practice.
Although experimentation in animals can be seen as a cruel and unethical practice, it remains necessary and unavoidable in some cases. This is due to the significant biological similarities animals share with humans, allowing researchers to predict human reactions to certain substances based on animals. For example, medical research relies on animals to test medication, treatments and vaccines before human consumption, thereby reducing any risks of inflicting serious harm on patients. Consequently, animal testing is not only justified but also essential in medical research.
In contrast with the necessity of experimenting on animals in medical research, alternatives usually exist in many other fields. Some scientific studies may not require testing their product efficiency on the human biological system, making the use of animals in this case unjustified. For instance, after the growing public pressure against experimentation on animals, the beauty industry has replaced it with lab and plant testing in recent years. Therefore, the justification for this practice can be selective based on the availability of viable alternatives.
In conclusion, with the absence of replacements for animals in medical studies, animal testing remains a necessary and essential practice. However, industries such as cosmetics, where viable substitutes prove to be effective, have no justification to continue it.