Should experiments be conducted on animals for the benefits of human beings?

Question

Should experiments be conducted on animals for the benefits of human beings?

Answer 1

It is interesting to note that without medical research  using animals, 9 of the 15 people who posted a response would not have survived long enough to read your question. All research using animals must follow a very rigorous set of guidelines. The benefits to man (and for that matter, our dogs and cats) must outweigh any harm to the animals. Inflicting pain is not permitted, or if it is necessary it is minimized. In order to get a research protocol accepted by the Research Ethics Boards of Universities, Medical facilities, pharmaceutical companies etc., the researcher must submit a very detailed and long application. The number of animals used in research and teaching has declined significantly since the 1980's, and researchers are continually trying to find means to perform essential work without having to use animals. The use of animals to test cosmetics, shampoos, etc. should be illegal. The stray dogs and cats that people abandon are in far worse conditions than laboratory animals. If you want to prevent cruelty to animals start with the way some people treat their pets.

Answer 2

it's not right. if something goes worng, an animal dies.

why don't we just test on people? instead of harmless animals?

Answer 3

no i belive not. that is animal cruelty. i reckon they should pay someone a great deal of money to test things out. an animal has no say in whats to come. one day im going to go into them places and robb em for their pets and give them away to good homes.

Answer 4

as long as its not causing physical pain.

Answer 5

I agree that there have been a lot of spurious experiments for no particular purpose but...

Suppose you have a new surgical procedure that you think will save a lot of lives...You have done work on cadavers but what is the next step before it is generally recognized.  You need to see what some post-operative complications might arise.  Volunteers? convicts?

A new drug in the modelling looks to work.  You are afraid there might be unknown consequences?

Answer 6

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!! EVER!!!!

If, you people that agree to it think that animal testing is just a few little harmless tests (without causing offence) you are clearly deluded!!! Imagine having shampoo poured into your eyes!! Given drugs to cause you severe convulsions, fits, diarrhoea how would you feel, would you put yourself up for that even if you were being paid!!! So why should animals!! There is a picture of a monkey with the word "c**p" tattooed on it's forehead! Is that animal testing? Pictures of monkeys with there limbs spread apart screaming in pain!!

There is a clip of a dog in a cage and an Animal b*****d oops, I mean tester goes to the cage and you can see VERY clearly it is frightened to death. The dog was showing it's side to the person which is a clear sign of submitting ( a dogs way of saying, 'i won't hurt you so', 'please don't hurt me anymore')

So these animals are caged and for the more intelligent animals they've a life of depression and madness to endure just to make sure your Meds' are safe, or your shampoo won't damage your eyes.

The annoying thing is animals body's are not the same as Humans and therefore this cruelty is endured for no good test results. There has been many proven cases of medication which was tested on chimps and worked, but ACTUALLY killed people. Surely scientist can test human tissues and cells for reactions etc in most cases, so in this day and age is animal testing needed? Surely there are enough studies by now so we know what chemicals are safe to use and which are not!!

I think, if it is totally neccessary then murders, and paedophiles should be tested on, and before we get into the human rights issue, surely, they lost their rights when they robbed the lives of  their victims, and their families!!!

And i'm sure that if you opened all the cages where these precious animals are, they would run for THEIR lives....Surely this is a true indication of whether this is RIGHT or WRONG....

I'm not a hippy (no offence to you guys) or an activist I just think people are VERY nieve to these matters as was I, then I woke up and saw the clips from PETA and it made me realise!!

Answer 7

Yes, but there is a limitation.

You need to take a license in handling animals.

You need to consider the animal rights before you can conduct your experiment.

It will depend on the procedure you will do in your experiment before you get the approval.

Majority of my friends are dealing with animals in their research.

Answer 8

Should experiments be done on humans first instead ? is another way of saying it.

It's cruel to experiment on animals or humans but throughout the history of science it has always been done. Without it we wouldn't have discovered what we know now.

For example we learnt that electrical pulses control nerves due to a scientist disecting a neighbours dog on the dining room table.

I'm not saying its a good thing. It would be good if it wasn't done but it's not realistic.

Answer 9

The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future. -~Marya Mannes

Answer 10

There is no "real" answer to this question, only opinions.  My opinion is yes...

Answer 11

Absolutely yes.

These days experiments must pass a vigorous ethics commitee before proceeding. The days of needlessly torturing animals for no benifit are for the most part over.

Despite what peta will tell you it IS ok to use animals to benifit humanity.

Of course its up to you to decide what is morally ok but if you feel it is wrong and must be stopped I invite you to stop using about 90% of the products, medicines and remidies curently available. Go back to a prehistoric lifestyle and leave the rest of us alone. Every day we ALL benifit from past atrocities against humans and animals.

Answer 12

h**l NO not in anny way or at any time if they should exsperment on anyone it should be themselfs

Answer 13

Absolutely.  Additionally, animal research benefits other animals as well.  I'd be surprised to find anyone in the western world today not benefiting from animal research

Answer 14

I feel very personal about this question. I don't think that animal should be tested on for frivolous things like beauty products. But this that will save lives and cure illness is different. my son is epileptic, and the medication he took was tested on animals. If not for this my son would probably be brain dead, or severally retarded, not the cleaver spunky bright child he is today. to me that is worth any animal.

Answer 15

I love animals.  Most biologists do.  I do not want to see them mistreated.

However, I have to ask a couple of questions of people who reject animal experimentation.

1.  William Harvey discovered that blood circulates.  This is probably the most important discovery in physiology.  He did it by bleeding dogs.  When you go to the doctor, would you prefer if this discovery had not been made?  Would you like him to be ignorant of the circulation of blood?

2.  Would you take a drug to treat a physical ailment that had not been tested on animals to determine its safety?  If you think that the testing for safety should only be done on humans, would you volunteer?