With the advancements in medical pharmacology, and breakthrough discoveries in disease curing medicines, drug testing experiments on animals have increased in number. The FDA ( federal drug agency) entails for any new drug, to be launched, to be tested first.Researchers spend years on proving their theories using lab rats and experimental sheep.
A number of significant discoveries have been made using animal testing. One of the biggest topic of research these days is “Cancer”. Cancer kills more than 0.2 million people per year worldwide. Until now, chemotherapy ,and radiotherapy (despite of their unavoidable adverse effects) have been found to kill cancer cells. Scientists are working on “nano cells” that can target the cancerous cells only. Researches, like this, are impossible without being experimented. Animals like mice, sheep, and chimpanzees are being used to mimic the diseases,and drug responses are observed.
Vaccines have been manufactured by injecting dead pathogens in animals’ blood stream and a few months later antibodies are obtained which can be used for disease prophylaxis. Almost all the children nowadays are being vaccinated. Epidemic diseases like polio, and small pox have been eliminated from several countries. Millions of lives have been saved.
Hence, animal testing is a major part of scientific method that cannot be eschewed.This is being done for the betterment of human civilization. Several Animal rights organizations, and animal rights activists demand the complete ban of drug trials on animals.
I think that a midway should be approached to these problems. Laws must be formed, that govern the activities of such trials. Experiments which ensure that no torture will be inflicted on any living creature should be allowed, unnecessary drug testing should be banned,and it must be made sure that no animal undergoes cruel treatment and mishandling.
