Opposing Viewpoints in animal research

There are numerous opposing viewpoints that have led to arguments, conflicts and even wars over the past millennia. Personal opinions on abortion, creationism, global warming, gun control, UFOs, immigration and that giant of all topics—religion—have created a polarized world with armed camps on each side supporting two or more opposing viewpoints.

Not the least of these viewpoints is animal research. On the one side, you have researchers who have used animals to test new drugs for toxicity or adverse effects for more than a century. The researchers say it’s better to test the proposed compounds on animals than humans. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—the organization that has the final approval in the U.S. for releasing a new drug entity (NDE) to the marketplace—actually requires animal testing as an essential part of the drug approval process (Phase 1 Clinical Trials).

The other camp opposes the use of animals in the drug or chemical compound development process, stating that animal research is often cruel and inhumane and includes unnecessary treatments up to and including death. Groups against animal research include the likes of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection). These groups are often aggressive and go beyond the limits of lawful opposition by breaking into animal research centers and releasing the animals and physical attacks and abuse on the animal researchers themselves.

Fonte: Laboratory Equipment