Argumentative Essay About Animal Models In Scientific Research

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Argumentative Essay Animals for Research
Introduction
From nematodes, to fruit flies to mice, animals have extensively been used in a number of scientific research to learn details of the biological processes in humans and to design and test cures. However, the use of animals for research has been a contentious issue that has raised heated debates among scientists and animal activists. On one hand, opponents find it morally wrong to subject animals to experimentation solely to benefit humans. On the other hand, scientists argue that laboratory animals play a critical role in understanding the processes involved in health and disease. Owing to the different views held by scientists and animal rights activists, alternative measures have been developed such as computer models to study the pathological processes involved in disease states in order to avoid using animals in scientific research. This paper argues that the use of animal models in scientific research is more beneficial compared to its drawbacks, and that all animal experiments strictly adhere to the ethical principles of scientific research.
Opponents to the use of animal models in research argue that many animals in laboratories are purchased, cared for, fed and killed, making it unnecessarily expensive to conduct research. However, animal models have in history enabled researchers to design new therapeutic agents and improved scientific understanding of human health and disease. Using animal models, scientists are able to ensure that the safety and efficacy of new treatments are checked, and the alternative methods fail to simulate human body systems, making them unreliable. Critics argue that it is not proper to cause pain and suffering to laboratory animal...