Should Animals be Used in Medical Research Paper

Should Animals be Used in Medical - Research Paper Example When preliminary tests on animals provide promising results, only then these studies are conducted on human beings. Therefore, the use of animals in medical research has been extremely useful in understanding the human body and the changes in functions when dealing with a disease. Hence, animals provide a good testing ground to conduct medical research and should continue to be used within the limits of the code of ethics. This paper will examine the historical background concerning the use of animals in medical research and closely examine the different perspectives pertaining to it. It will also elaborate my arguments supporting the use of animals in medical research and why I feel it is especially critical to do so in this day and age. Relevant History and Background The use of animals in medical and behavioral studies can be traced back to ancient Greek writings which record that Aristotle, the Greek philosopher conducted experiments on live animals. In fact, Aristotle argued tha t, â€Å"animals, having sense perception but lacking reason, fall below humans in a natural hierarchy and are therefore appropriate resources for human purposes† (DeGrazia 3). ... Traditionally, the moral status of animals has been shaped by religion and philosophy. The Bible mentions that God created human beings in His own image and gave him authority over all that was created – including animals. According to DeGrazia, the Bible reinforces the Aristotelian view of animals of using them for human purposes (3). Christian philosophers like Augustine and Thomas Aquinas also emphasized that since animals cannot reason, they are subordinate to human beings (DeGrazia 3). However Hinduism and Islamic beliefs consider animals to have some degree of rationality and at times consider them on par with human beings (DeGrazia 3). Current medical research practices ensure only the least number of the most appropriate animal is used. Again, the U.S. federal law requires all animals to be treated humanely and that they should experience the least amount of pain and distress when used in medical research. For as long as animals have been used for medical research, the re have been people and groups fighting for animal rights through writings and peaceful protests. However, as the experimentation on animals increased over the years, so did the controversy and criticism concerning it, especially with respect to the practice of vivisection – a process which involves conducting surgery on living organisms, usually animals, for physiological or pathological investigations (DeGrazia). Overview of Different Positions on This Issue Broadly there are two opposing positions concerning the issue of the use of animals in medical research: In Favor of Animal Research: The major argument of people favoring animal research is that using animals for medical research is acceptable if the