Animal Research Essay

1492 Words3 Pages

Everyone has a family member, friend, or beloved pet so sick you were not sure if they would live or die, and you find out about a new surgery procedure or medicine available to save them. Have you ever wondered where these new surgery procedures or medicines come from? When you think about all the major medical advancements over the last few decades and beyond, it has depended on animal research. As research moves into the future, we need to understand how the body works and how diseases progress. We need to find ways to treat, cure, or prevent disease and disability. The use of animal research is providing us with new technologies and medicines, which are benefiting both humans and animals in treating and extending lives. Animals are used in research projects as a range of scientific techniques. They are used in human trials, computer modeling, cell cultures, and statistical techniques; however, animals are only used in research where no other techniques are available. There is some research you cannot use on human subjects or computers like reproducing a beating heart or stroke, understanding the complicity of different parts of a living system, from molecules to cells to systems like respiration and circulation. Although human subjects are used in some cases of testing new drugs or procedures, at times it is ethically unacceptable to use human subjects because of climate control testing, diet, housing, clean air environment, temperatures and genetic makeup; this is why animal subjects like rodents are used for research. The humane use of laboratory animals is covered under a legislation mandating what is called the “three Rs” described as reduction, refinement, and replacement of animal use in the life sciences, concepts or ... ... middle of paper ... ... the only way researchers can move forward with medical progress. Animal research will always be needed as long as there are new diseases unsolved and even those we still need to solve that take the lives of our loved ones. The successful use of animal research testing continually offers more answers to advanced technology and medicines. Many human and animal lives have already been saved even though animals are used for research to discover the answers for cures and treatments. The laws governing the research facilities ensure the utmost care and protection for the animal’s safety is monitored along with any research conducted by researchers and their staff. As we look to the future, animal research is a very significant part of discovering new advanced technologies, treatments for diseases, and with new surgery techniques to extend the lives of humans and animals.

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