Animals in Research
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- Date Submitted: 06/07/2010 03:23 PM
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Animals in Research
Throughout history, philosophers and scientists have used different resources to improve and sustain human life through research. These resources unfortunately include various numbers of animals like cats, dogs, pigs, mice, and monkeys that are used in the medical and psychological research fields. Years ago using animals in research was a necessity and it truly benefited the scientific world. However, society has evolved from centuries ago and new advances in alternative methods in the medical and psychological fields have proven to be more resourceful than using animals for current research studies. Continuing to use animals in research when more humane alternative methods are available is wrong because it presents an outdated method of research and it is cruelty to animals in modern society.
Outdated methods of animal research are evident in the medical field. The medical world is in the most advance stages in the technological age, but still insists on using live animals for research and experiments. For example, the United States military utilizes a significant number of animals that are tested and killed yearly for unnecessary research. This number was estimated in 1999 at 327,097 animals. The Army uses 80% of these animals, the Air Force uses 8%, the Navy uses 3%, and unaffiliated Department of Defense labs use 9.3 % (Budkie). The Army specifically, uses monkeys, goats, and pigs for chemical warfare testing. Monkeys are injected with chemicals to demonstrate the effects of nerve gas for chemical casualty management training (Ask the Army). In reality, the actual threat of a chemical or biological attack is so slim that service members are not even required to carry their issued protective mask on them while deployed. In fact, military instructors explain that if an attack of this nature was to strike, no pro mask or the epinephrine pens issued will prevent the effects. Therefore, the necessity to continue with this type...
Throughout history, philosophers and scientists have used different resources to improve and sustain human life through research. These resources unfortunately include various numbers of animals like cats, dogs, pigs, mice, and monkeys that are used in the medical and psychological research fields. Years ago using animals in research was a necessity and it truly benefited the scientific world. However, society has evolved from centuries ago and new advances in alternative methods in the medical and psychological fields have proven to be more resourceful than using animals for current research studies. Continuing to use animals in research when more humane alternative methods are available is wrong because it presents an outdated method of research and it is cruelty to animals in modern society.
Outdated methods of animal research are evident in the medical field. The medical world is in the most advance stages in the technological age, but still insists on using live animals for research and experiments. For example, the United States military utilizes a significant number of animals that are tested and killed yearly for unnecessary research. This number was estimated in 1999 at 327,097 animals. The Army uses 80% of these animals, the Air Force uses 8%, the Navy uses 3%, and unaffiliated Department of Defense labs use 9.3 % (Budkie). The Army specifically, uses monkeys, goats, and pigs for chemical warfare testing. Monkeys are injected with chemicals to demonstrate the effects of nerve gas for chemical casualty management training (Ask the Army). In reality, the actual threat of a chemical or biological attack is so slim that service members are not even required to carry their issued protective mask on them while deployed. In fact, military instructors explain that if an attack of this nature was to strike, no pro mask or the epinephrine pens issued will prevent the effects. Therefore, the necessity to continue with this type...