Animal research, how ethical are you?

What is your stance on animal research? Do you believe they should be used primarily for medical reasons? Or do you believe it should be used for everything else (i.e. cosmetics, cosmetic surgery, etc). One of the things that caught my attention in the readings was that of Animal research. First thing that popped into mind, was People Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA for short. I was surprised that their name did not come about in this module. My stance for Animal research is in a grey area, and I am sure most people’s it is too. I do believe in it for medical research, but for cosmetics surgery? Not too sure on it. You hear of these cruelty free cosmetics everywhere, and it sounds too good to be true, but how do we know if it is good for us to wear without extensive tests? I am no stranger to buying cruelty free makeup, and I will be the first to tell you it is gambling. Sometimes you will get a reaction with the foundation, or a sty in your eye due to the mascara, so there are some things that is better to let it be tested than messed with.

My opinion is just that, an opinion. With animal research it is better to be safe than sorry. If it can either be replaced, refined, or reduced as much as possible it would be best; I guess, I can consider myself a minimalist? I hear it on the news all the time about extremist using violence to get their message across that they hate what researchers are doing, but aren’t they the ones hurting living beings too? Taunting kids because of their parent’s occupation, disturbing the peace, bombing houses? If they get their message across what will happen then? Our science will not progress as fast as it does with animal research. Do these people really love animals or do they just really hate people? Maybe one day our science will be advance enough to eliminate our usage of animals, but for now we have to make do with what we got. For more pro’s on animal testing click here.

The short list of a few examples of medical advancements found through animal testing: 

• VACCINES- Anthrax, chicken pox, cholera, diphtheria, flu, influenza B, hepatitis A and B, measles, mumps, polio, rabies, rubella, smallpox, tetanus, whooping cough, yellow fever
• MEDICATIONS- Insulin, penicillin, streptomycin, anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, anticoagulants, chemotherapy, cyclosporine
• DEVICES- Pacemakers, artificial heart, artificial hip, artificial knee

Another amazing video can be found here (they disabled embedded sharing)