Animal Testing

Point One: Medical Benefits The California Biomedical Research Association states that nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from research using animals. Chris Abee, Director of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center's animal research facility, states that "we wouldn't have a vaccine for hepatitis B without chimpanzees," and says that the use of chimps is "our best hope" for finding a vaccine for Hepatitis C, a disease that kills thousands of Americans annually. Herceptin – a humanised mouse protein – has helped to increase the survival rate of those with breast cancer by 70% ; it could not have been attained without animal research in mice. Thanks to research on animals leading to the development of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapies (HAART), AIDS is no longer the death sentence it was 30 years ago. Animal research is responsible for the development of asthma inhalers, these have saved 10,000 lives of asthma Animal research has helped develop modern vaccines including those against Polio, TB, Meningitis and, recently, the human papillomavirus (HPV) which has been linked to cervical cancer. The development of Tamoxifen in animals led to a 30% fall in death rates from breast cancer in the 1990s. The 450,000 people in the UK suffering from Type I diabetes rely on Insulin – which was developed through experiments in rabbits and dogs. Smallpox has been eradicated from Earth thanks to research in animals. (Statista, animalresearch.info) Point two: Animal testing is for the greater good Currently, there are 5 million animals being used in testing (peta.org, simr.org) There are currently 7 billion people in the world, 95% of which have benefited from the earlier mentioned medical advances Approximately 3 billion people’s lives have been saved due to advances of medicine brought on by animal testing (understandinganimalresearch.org.uk) In comparison, in the 1,800 years since animal testing has been introduced, 1 million animals have died. (ncbi.gov) 98% of animals used in testing that died were going to die anyway due to a disease or aggression that meant they were going to get put down Testing vaccines and cures to diseases on animals have actually saved 1 million animals lives directly. (The lives saved of the animals being tested) (medicaldaily.com) Point Three: Animal testing benefits animals If vaccines were not tested on animals, millions of animals would have died from rabies, distemper, feline leukemia, infectious hepatitis virus, tetanus, anthrax, and canine parvo virus. Treatments for animals developed using animal testing also include pacemakers for heart disease and remedies for glaucoma and hip dysplasia. Animal testing has also been instrumental in saving endangered species from extinction, including the black-footed ferret, the California condor and the tamarins of Brazil. Koalas, ravaged by an epidemic of sexually transmitted chlamydia and now classified as endangered in some regions of Australia, are being tested with new chlamydia vaccines that slows the rate of infection and treats early stages of the disease. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) endorses animal testing. (nabr.org, heart.org, fda.gov) In total, 30 million animal lives and 3 billion human lives have been saved due to technology and medication developed during animal testing (HSI.org) I wish con good luck