Animal Testing
Taemin Ahn, Jonathan Chang, Liam
Hardiman, Travis Kim, Aram
Nazarian
Definition
"Use of animals in experiments and development projects
usually to determine toxicity, dosing and efficacy of test drugs
before proceeding to human clinical trials."
http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Animal_testing
History
• Dates back to ancient times
o Aristotle did tests on animals
o Roman physician Galen dissected goats,
pigs
• 1600's: Animals used to observe blood
circulatory system
http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/16237.aspx
History Continued
• Used throughout history for medical research
o Guinea pigs used to test tuberculosis
vaccine
o Rhesus monkeys used to isolate polio
o Leprosy treatments developed in armadillos
http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/16237.aspx
General Morality
• Exists for:
o
o
scientific advancements
for the better of us
o
educates us further about the
human body
o
Are these benefits worth it?
General Morality
• testing on animals and
taking away their
freedom = selfish
• taking animals freedom
of life
• forgetting about the pain
and suffering of the
animal
Positive Effects
While animals in painful experiments do feel
pain, it's oftentimes so that scientists can prevent
pain from being inflicted upon humans.
http://ww.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v1n3/cures.html
Positive Effects
More specifically, animal testing has played a
large role in HIV research, a field that has
undoubtedly saved lives.
http://www.avert.org/hiv-animal-testing.htm#
Positive Effects
Researchers say that the use of
animal testing was critical in drawing
parallels between animal and
human responses to the drug
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2042942/HIV-vaccine-MVA-B-turndeadly-condition-minor-infection-like-herpes.html
Positive Effects
Animal testing is used to learn about animal physiology, which
helps with conservation efforts
http://www.mammalsociety.org/uploads/Sikes%20et%20al%202011.pdf
Negative Effects
• Some would argue that the positive effects of
animal experimentation are vastly overstated, and
that there is little direct linkage between its use and
the destruction of HIV.
http://www.avert.org/hiv-animal-testing.htm#
Negative Effects contd.
• PeTA argues that education and healthy practice
far outweigh the insubstantial positive effects of
animal testing.
http://www.peta.org/about/faq/Does-animal-experimentation-save-humanlives.aspx
Catholic Viewpoint:
God blessed Noah and his sons and said to
them: "Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth.
Dread fear of you shall come upon
Catholic Viewpoint (cont.)
all the animals of the earth and all the birds of
the air, upon all the creatures that move about
on the ground and all
Catholic Viewpoint (cont.)
the fishes of the sea; into your power they are
delivered. Every creature that is alive shall be
yours to eat;
Catholic Viewpoint
I give them all to you as I did the green
plants. (Genesis 9:1-3)
It is a sin to cause animals to suffer or die
needlessly.
Catholic Viewpoint: Catechism
(2418)
"It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals
to suffer or die needlessly"
ok IF killed with little suffering, and for
food/clothing/safety
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm
Catholic Viewpoint: Catechism
(2417)
"God entrusted animals to the stewardship of
those whom he created in his own image."
Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food
and clothing.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm
Catholic Viewpoint: Catechism
(2417)
"They may be domesticated to help man in his
work and leisure. Medical and scientific
experimentation on animals
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm
Catholic Viewpoint: Catechism
(2417)
is a morally acceptable practice if it remains
within reasonable limits and contributes to caring
for or saving human lives.
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm
Catholic Viewpoint: Catechism
if it remains within reasonable limits and
contributes to caring for or saving human lives."
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm
Works Cited
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a7.htm
http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/3782804.pdf
http://www.mammalsociety.org/uploads/Sikes%20et%20al%202011.pdf
http://speakingofresearch.com/tag/spanish-superior-scientific-research-council/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2042942/HIV-vaccine-MVA-B-turn-deadly-condition-minor-infection-like-herpes.html
http://www.irsicaixa.org/en/hivacat-identifies-candidate-hiv-vaccine-and-initiates-animal-experimentation
http://www.9news.com/news/article/220063/188/HIV-vaccine-faces-further-animal-testing
http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/16237.aspx
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5373379/Animals-can-tell-right-from-wrong.html
http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/Animal-Testing-Is-It-Necessary-.html
www.veganlondon.co.uk/factsheets/scientific_fraud.pd
http://www.mrmcmed.org/crit2.html