Should Animals Be Used for Medical Research? Essay Sample

Research in areas of science has resulted in human advancement and understanding of the universe. Given the growing population and changing environment resulted in exposure to diseases and development of new and complicated illness (McMicheal Tony). Development of treatment intended to offer the quality of life was made possible through animal research. Animal research involved the testing of new drugs or treatment methods on animals for human and other animal diseases (Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (US). Committee on Care). New medicines and surgical techniques are experimented on the animals to investigate their effectiveness. For instance, investigation of multiple sclerosis the animal is partially paralyzed for a given period while the researcher takes notes of the impact of the drugs on the animal in a cage. The intended conclusion is the effects and treatment of the disorder. However, the research has elicited mixed reactions over the past considering the ethics behind the use of animals who cannot give their consent. These issues, therefore, are investigated below.

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Some benefits accrue to the medical field with the use of animals in research. The study of the model organism which is based on thorough research using animals has enabled a comprehensive understanding of the health state of animals and human beings and also the diseases that attack humans and animals. Necessary medical procedures used in modern times such as organ transplantation has helped save millions of human and animal lives that would otherwise be lost. The initial transplant sparked intense debate among the medical and the public domains as the transplant was seen as a sensational issue (Cryan). Through careful research using animals, the procedure was viable, and since then lives of patients with failing organs has been saved.

Moreover, a high percentage of scientist has won accolades through animal research including the developer of diphtheria who used horses for research, James P. and Dr. Tasuku Honjo also won the covetous 2018 Novel Prize for their discovery of cancer drugs using mice. The discovery has saved lives and revolutionized the cancer immunotherapy. Considering that cancer has risen to be the highest killer of people in recent times, the discovery of as a result of the use of animals is a significant boost to the medical community. Animal research has brought hope to many patients and loved once through the discovery of drugs that treat heart failure and Alzheimer's (Sarah).

The use of animals has improved considerably the understanding of human and animal anatomy which is crucial for researchers to develop drugs and diagnostic methods for any medical cases. New drugs are used in animals, and then the impact on the animal is monitored so that the safety of the drugs on the human being is assured (Sarah). When the effectiveness of the animal is not as expected, the researchers have an opportunity to research a new line of drugs. Also, the legality of any treatment drug is the consideration of safety; therefore, testing the drugs with animals first enable the medical practitioner to abide by the law.

Treatment of complex diseases that cripple human beings such as the cystic fibrosis and asthma requires the whole body physiology that may not be handled by a human being. Animals having human-like response are thus necessary to be used until a specific cell that the scientist is interested in. This area only handles the cases which animals are the only option for scientific research; otherwise, placebo-controlled study is an application to a human being (Nuno). The essential requirement is minimizing the risks of implicating human life with side effects or somewhat complicating the initial treatment.

Furthermore, the governments have legislated stringent rules that guide the use of animals for medical research to ensure that the undertaking upholds the safety of the animal. Assessment of the harm and procedure that the animal procure is assured and whenever possible the anesthetics are applied on the animal to manage the pain. Failure to use an animal to in research is considered in the medical sphere as unethical since there are people who desperately need help, researchers desire to expand knowledge, and scientist needs to develop a treatment. Moreover, development of new drugs on human being would be challenging to get people who consent to be used for lab tests, and the number of animals being killed for eating is far more than those used in medical research purposes (Nuno).

However, animal models are never perfect for replacing the human being thus posing risks to medical research. The response of the drugs in animals and human is not the same resulting in cases where drugs pass animal testing but are ineffective to human being resulting in denouncing of some drugs (Pound Pandora). Also, many animals used for lab experiments and drug trials are eventually killed as their behavior in the natural habitat has been hampered. Some animals are not able to procreate, and some lose vital organs thus the killing.

The use of animals for research is relatively high given the care that animal is subjected to after purchase. Thus some in considering the use of animals as immoral and unnecessary in the era surrounded by advanced computers and software, mathematical concepts and sophisticated clinical trials which uses human tissues and cells (Pound Pandora).

The argument above outlining the successes and failures of the use of animal for research in the medical field is crucial in the modern era where there is equal concern for the conservation of both animal and human lives. It is clear that the use of animal for medical research is necessary to ensure the sustainability of human life and in turn, the animal lives benefits from human knowledge.

Works Cited

Cryan, John F., and Andrew Holmes. "Model organisms: the ascent of mouse: advances in modeling human depression and anxiety." Nature reviews Drug discovery (2005): 775.

Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (US). Committee on Care, Use of Laboratory Animals, and National Institutes of Health (US). Division of Research Resources. Guide for the care and use of laboratory animals. National Academies, 1985.

McMichael Tony, and Anthony J. Human frontiers, environments and disease: past patterns, uncertain futures. Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Nuno, Franco. "Animal experiments in biomedical research: a historical perspective." Animals 3.1 (2013): 238-273.

Pound Pandora, et al. "Where is the evidence that animal research benefits humans?" Bmj (2004): 514-517.

Sarah, Matuszek. "Animal-facilitated therapy in various patient populations: Systematic literature review." Holistic Nursing Practice (2010): 187-203.