Every year conscious monkeys are forced to inhale toxic smoke, dogs are subject to invasive surgery, blinded cats are dropped into vats of water, and guinea pigs are coated with corrosive substances that eat through to their organs. These cruel acts are due to animal testing. Do you think it's right? How would you feel if you were one of the researchers who does this? .
Many Americans agree with animal testing because they think its essential to cure illnesses. This speech is to prove those Americans are wrong. The idea of animal testing is that they can be "models" for humans. However, animals are not like humans and each animal species has a unique biological system. .
Many drugs that test safe for animals are harmful to humans. For example, one source reports that out of 198 drugs tested on animals between 1976 and 1985, 51.5% caused human reactions that were serious enough to warrant withdrawal from the market or substantial changes in labeling. Some negative reactions were "heart failure, respiratory problems, convulsions, kidney and liver failure and death." Animal testing delays the chance of discovering a cure or even confusing the scientists more. .
Furthermore, the three leading causes of death, which are heart disease, cancer and stroke, can most likely be prevented with out using animal testing. Heart disease and stroke can be prevented as long as you stay away from high-fat, meat-based diets, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, obesity and sedentary life styles. Also, vegetarians have a lower risk. Cancer also has ways to prevent it. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that as much as 80-90% of human cancer is determined by such things as diet, lifestyles and environmental carcinogens. .
Also, animal research has failed to produce any definite advances in cancer and AIDS research. Dr. Irwin D.J. Bross, director of biostatistics at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute said, "Not a single new drug for the treatment of human cancer was first picked up by an animal model system.