Samantha Gioeli
Dr. Stapley
English 101
04–25-2013
Assignment: Essay #5 Research Essay
Animal Experimentation
17 to 22 thousand Animals are tested on each year. (Victims of Vanity:
Animal Testing of Cosmetics and Household products, and How to Stop it.)
These animals are used as experimental dummies in-order to ensure the
safety of human beings, and to help develop beneficial medications and
vaccines.
Animal testing has been a serious debate since the 19th century. The
first reference to animal testing was when Louis Pasteur gave anthrax to
sheep and showed the importance of vaccines.(Animal Testing Timeline.)
Also, Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory suggested that animals could be
used as effective models to help understand humans from a biological
perspective.(Animal Testing Timeline.) During the 1950s, animal testing was
seen as aiding in the development of vaccines. During this time period,
numerous acts of animal testing were conducted, which included potential
drugs for cancer and HIV. Animal testing was most popular during the 1980s
and has since then declined.(Animal Testing Timeline.) The cause of the
decline in animal testing is due to the increase in regulations that are
making it more difficult to gain approval for such an act. Also, the
introduction to animal testing alternatives has affected the practice of testing
products and drugs on animals.(Animal Testing Timeline.)
Many people are morally against the practice of experiments on
animals, even when they are accepting to medical benefit. Alternatives to
animal testing have been researched and carefully developed. (Victims of
Vanity: Animal Testing of Cosmetics and Household products, and How to
Stop it.) Recent research shows animal tests are rarely relatable to humans.
Studies have repeatedly proven that because of the biological differences
