We cannot take a drug that can cause more harm than good.
The benefits of testing some of these products are extraordinary. Medical advancements made form animal tests in this century include vaccines, antibiotics and improved surgical techniques. Animal testing has improved our lives by virtually eliminating many diseases. Take polio for example. In 1952 an epidemic broke out that killed over 58,000 people. A vaccine that was the result of animal research prevents the disease and now only a few cases are reported each year. Another disease that animal testing has helped is heart disease. According to a report from the American Heart Association the decline of death rates from heart disease since the 1960's is a result of new methods of treatment. Many of the treatments are based on data from animal testing.
So what are the experiments conducted? There are two widely known tests. The Draize eye irritancy test and the LD50 test. The Draize eye irritancy test was developed during WWII by a man named John Draize. The test recorded effects of chemical warfare agents. Basically what happens is a chemical or product is put on the surface of a rabbit's eye. The other eye is used as a control. Irritation is observed for several days. Some products that are tested in this manner are shampoo, hair spray, deodorant, detergents, drugs and pesticides. Rabbits" eyes are more sensitive than humans so a product that has mild or no irritation in rabbits" eyes will be safe for humans. The LD50 test originally standardized batches of powerful biological medicines. The batches varied in potency so it was important for making sure that new batches were a uniform potency before pharmacists purchased them. So the LD50 test was used to gauge potency. Later the test became one of the first toxicity tests conducted on chemicals or products. The LD50 value is the dose that kills 50 percent of a group of animals that it is given to.