Is Animal Testing Ethical?

Rachael Reiley P.7

As the president of The Animal Rights Club I've had people, on many occasions, ask me

one, single question; “What’s your opinion on animal testing?”. I was once spoken to by the

captain of the field hockey team about this exact concept. I had been walking back to the locker

rooms when she engaged me in conversation. I had thought about animal testing before, but had

not fully made an opinion on it at that moment. That night I went home and sat at the computer

for hours, looking for information that would lead me to one side or the other. Nearing the end of

that night (possibly early morning) I had finally seen enough to decide. Animal testing is not

ethical because, although it is believed to be required by law for some medications, animal

testing is usually used with products that are not required to be tested, animal testing can

generate multiple outcomes that are not helpful for human safety with products, and there are

other alternative testing methods available.

Animal testing is unethical because many products that do test on animals, do not need to

be tested at all. In the Animal Welfare Act of 1966, the FDA clearly states that, “in order for

drugs, medical devices, and other products to be approved, the FDA does not require that

animals be used in product testing and drug development” (“Animals”). Many companies that

use animal testing are cosmetic companies which allow for, “forced chemical exposure in

toxicity testing… oral force feeding, forced inhalation,” and, “injections into the skin or

abdomen” (“About”). These cosmetic companies use their products on animals to see how it

affects their skin, makes them smell, or results in behavioral changes, which leads to the death of

many animals yearly. Other countries have already begun their move towards a more animal
friendly environment. According to DoSomething.org, “Europe, the world’s largest cosmetic

market, Israel and India have already banned animal testing for cosmetics, and the sale or import

of newly animal testing beauty products” (“11 Facts”). Animal testing for cosmetic purposes is

already seen as unnecessary in other countries and should be unnecessary in the USA as well

since it is not regulated by law and dramatically affects- if not kills - animals daily.

Animal testing can also generate multiple outcomes that may not be beneficial to the

safety of humans. Many people do not understand that although some animals share the same

genes as homosapiens, they are not the same as humans. Animals may have very different

reactions to types of products that humans are given. It has been seen that, “92% of experimental

drugs that are safe and effective on animals fail in human clinical trials because they are too

dangerous or don’t work” (“11 Facts”). This can been seen with many different animals and

many different products. Ibuprofen, a normal, everyday drug used in the household of humans,

causes kidney failure in dogs (“Dogs”). Along with Strychnine, commonly used as a stimulant, is

safe for monkeys but could kill an entire human family (“Croce”). Animals and humans are two

very different species that usually do not share enough genes to justify animal testing. While

drugs or cosmetics may see more safe because they have been tested on animals before they

have reached the shelves of humans does not truly mean that they are. Animals and humans have

too many varied genes within themselves to give an accurate representation of how cosmetics or

drugs would affect a human health, showing that animal testing is not beneficial to the safety of

humans.

Animal testing is not ethical because there are alternative methods to it. Microdosing is

one solution to animal testing. This is when a very small amount of medicine is injected into a

volunteer to get a more accurate representation of what the products will do to human bodies.
This is harmless to the person because there is not enough injected to do any actual harm to the

volunteer. Researchers can then look at the cells affected by the drug/cosmetic and see if it truly

is harmful or not (“Microdosing”). Microdosing can be more effective because there are no

animal variables that could react with the product being tested other than the human’s own

genes. It can help to show a direct issue with the product being tested rather than making an

educated guess on the way other animals react to such product. “Experiments are… conducted

for toxicological tests where there are valid non-animal alternatives available” (“Cruelty”). There

are many different techniques that could be put into the play here in the USA if everyone helps to

push for the cause. Animal testing is unethical because there are alternative methods.

Although it is believed that animal testing is required for some drugs by the Federal

Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, it only states that drugs must be tested for safety before

they reach the market (“Why”). It does not state specifically that drugs/cosmetics must be tested

on animals. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act leaves a lot of options open to use instead

of animal testing. The method that is mentioned in the paragraph above is a valid alternative to

animal testing within the FFDCA. Since this method is available to the USA, animal testing

should be banned in the United States like it is in many counties in the east. Any drugs that must

be used on animals should be specified within the FFDCA and only done in dire cases. All

cosmetic testing should be banned along with any cosmetic products that were tested overseas in

order to persuade other countries to follow in the USA’s footsteps. Animal testing does not need

to be the main way of testing products in the USA because there are no laws stating that products

must be testing on animals before it can be used in everyday human lives. Other alternatives can

be more effective to humans and allow for less life to be wasted on such matters.
 Animal testing is unethical because it is used for products that are not required to be

tested, it can create multiple outcomes which may lead to harm in humans, and there are

alternative methods that can be more useful to humans. In order to stop this injustice against

animals, awareness must be spread to everyone and anyone who will listen. They must be shown

what animal testing truly does; kills animals. Spreading the word is the first step to getting

animal testing banned in America. Legislation can then be passed regarding such a ban. So, get

out there, spread the word, and save the animals.

Works Cited

“About Animal Testing.” Humane Society International

www.hsi.org/campaigns/end_animal_testing/99/about.html?%3Freferrer=https%3

A%2F

%2F.www.google.com%2F n.d Web. 22 Feb. 2018

“Animals in Science / Research.” Laws and Regulations, www.neavs.org/research/laws.

tierversuche.de/agt-en/index.php/resources/general/59-human-reaction-and-animal-

reaction-that-is-the-question n.d Web. 21 Feb. 2018

Cruelty Free International,

www.crueltyfreeinternational.org/why-we-do-it/facts-and-figures-animal-testing. n.d. Web

21 Feb. 2018

Dog Poisons in Your Medicine Cupboard,

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/health/for-owners/common-canine-poisons/poisons-

in-your-medicine-cupboard/. n.d Web 11 April. 2018

“Microdosing.” 3Rs, 3rs.ccac.ca/en/research/refinement/microdosing.html. n.d Web 10 April.

2018

“Why Are Cosmetics and Other Products Tested on Animals?” American Physiological

Society > Why Are Cosmetics and Other Products Tested on Animals?, www.the-

aps.org/mm/SciencePolicy/AnimalResearch/Publications/animals/quest7.html. n.d Web

7 April. 2018

“11 Facts about Animal Testing” DoSomething.org | volunteer for social change,

www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-animal-testing. n.d Web 22 Feb. 2018