Animal Research
Most of us in this room have probably not suffered from a debilitating illness or a life-threatening disease. But maybe you know of someone who has. Has either of your parents or grandparents been diagnosed with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or some other illness? Has someone you know had surgery, chemotherapy, or a drug treatment? Both of my grandmothers died from cancer; my grandfather had heart disease; my great-uncle suffered from Parkinson's disease for 20 years and participated in all kinds of experimental treatments. My 16-year-old brother has a friend who is currently undergoing a bone-marrow transplant in Boston for leukemia. And I'm sure all of you are aware that Michael J. Fox and Mohammed Ali suffer from Parkinson's disease and that Christopher Reeves is paralyzed with a spinal cord injury. No matter where we live or who we are, illness and disease affect us all. In order to develop cures and treatments for the illnesses and diseases that exist in our world, scientists conduct research and experiments. This research is presently under attack because these experiments involve the use of many different animals. Today, animal-rights groups want to ban the use of animals in scientific testing. They claim tha
Furthermore, scientists need to develop and test new surgical techniques in living, breathing whole organ systems with pulmonary and circulatory systems like humans. Doctors who perform today's delicate cardiac and brain surgeries first worked on animals to develop the necessary skills before performing surgery on human patients. Opponents of animal experimentation also argue that researchers should employ alternatives to animal use. These include test-tube experiments, clinical research involving the study of human patients, and computer programs that model biological responses. Critics of animal research declare in Facts on File on the web that "...animal studies are an example of 'bad science'---animals and humans are quite different biologically and data obtained from animals does not always apply to humans." They feel that since animals differ from humans in certain biological aspects, then the results of animal studies might be misleading when applied to humans. Today, animal research remains controversial. I believe it is morally justifiable to use animals in experiments and research in order to develop a treatment or a cure for a disease or illness affecting our world today. Not allowing these experiments to be done could cause the untimely death of millions of men, women, and children. Heloisa Sabin, wife of Albert Sabin who developed the oral polio vaccine, stated in the Wall Street Journal, "Those who support an 'animal rights' agenda that would cripple research and halt medical science in its tracks are slamming the door on the possibilities of new treatments and cures." If PETA has its way, spinal cord research being done on rats will stop and Christopher Reeve and a quarter of a million other Americans with spinal cord injuries will be denied their dream of one day walking again. Every day, all around the world, millions of people with HIV/AIDS hope that advances in scientific research will save their lives. I am not willing to take away someone's hope for a new treatment or a cure. Animal research might one day save my life, your life, or someone close to you. For example, scientists use small animals like rats to determine the possible side effects of new drugs including infertility, miscarriage, birth defects, liver damage, and cancer. If animal tests prove the safety of new drugs, then human patients participate in furt
Some common words found in the essay are:
GLAA Animal, Association Research, Treatment Animals, , Christopher Reeves, Inspection Service, Christopher Reeve, APS Animal, Defense Society, Street Journal, animal research, animal experimentation, animal testing, animal-rights activists, animals scientific, animal welfare, human patients, animals animal-rights, unethical cruel, research develop, animal research develop, animals scientific medical, believe animal research, animal research remains, animal welfare act,
Approximate Word count = 1600
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
|