Ethical care for research animals

WHY ANIMAL RESEARCH?

The use of animals in some forms of biomedical research remains essential to the discovery of the causes, diagnoses, and treatment of disease and suffering in humans and in animals., stanford shares the public's concern for laboratory research animals..

Many people have questions about animal testing ethics and the animal testing debate. We take our responsibility for the ethical treatment of animals in medical research very seriously. At Stanford, we emphasize that the humane care of laboratory animals is essential, both ethically and scientifically.  Poor animal care is not good science. If animals are not well-treated, the science and knowledge they produce is not trustworthy and cannot be replicated, an important hallmark of the scientific method .

There are several reasons why the use of animals is critical for biomedical research: 

••  Animals are biologically very similar to humans. In fact, mice share more than 98% DNA with us!

••  Animals are susceptible to many of the same health problems as humans – cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

••  With a shorter life cycle than humans, animal models can be studied throughout their whole life span and across several generations, a critical element in understanding how a disease processes and how it interacts with a whole, living biological system.

The ethics of animal experimentation

Nothing so far has been discovered that can be a substitute for the complex functions of a living, breathing, whole-organ system with pulmonary and circulatory structures like those in humans. Until such a discovery, animals must continue to play a critical role in helping researchers test potential new drugs and medical treatments for effectiveness and safety, and in identifying any undesired or dangerous side effects, such as infertility, birth defects, liver damage, toxicity, or cancer-causing potential.

U.S. federal laws require that non-human animal research occur to show the safety and efficacy of new treatments before any human research will be allowed to be conducted.  Not only do we humans benefit from this research and testing, but hundreds of drugs and treatments developed for human use are now routinely used in veterinary clinics as well, helping animals live longer, healthier lives.

It is important to stress that 95% of all animals necessary for biomedical research in the United States are rodents – rats and mice especially bred for laboratory use – and that animals are only one part of the larger process of biomedical research.

Our researchers are strong supporters of animal welfare and view their work with animals in biomedical research as a privilege.

Stanford researchers are obligated to ensure the well-being of all animals in their care..

Stanford researchers are obligated to ensure the well-being of animals in their care, in strict adherence to the highest standards, and in accordance with federal and state laws, regulatory guidelines, and humane principles. They are also obligated to continuously update their animal-care practices based on the newest information and findings in the fields of laboratory animal care and husbandry.  

Researchers requesting use of animal models at Stanford must have their research proposals reviewed by a federally mandated committee that includes two independent community members.  It is only with this committee’s approval that research can begin. We at Stanford are dedicated to refining, reducing, and replacing animals in research whenever possible, and to using alternative methods (cell and tissue cultures, computer simulations, etc.) instead of or before animal studies are ever conducted.

brown mouse on blue gloved hand

Organizations and Resources

There are many outreach and advocacy organizations in the field of biomedical research.

  • Learn more about outreach and advocacy organizations

Two researchers in lab looking through microscopes

Stanford Discoveries

What are the benefits of using animals in research? Stanford researchers have made many important human and animal life-saving discoveries through their work. 

  • Learn more about research discoveries at Stanford

Small brown mouse - Stanford research animal

  • Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

student opinion

Is Animal Testing Ever Justified?

The E.P.A. recently said it would move away from requiring the testing of potentially harmful chemicals on animals. Do you support the decision?

essay on is animal testing necessary

By Natalie Proulx

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

On Sept. 10, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would move away from requiring the testing of potentially harmful chemicals on animals, a decision that was hailed by animal rights groups but criticized by environmentalists and researchers who said the practice was necessary to rigorously safeguard human health.

What are your thoughts on animal testing? Do you think it is ever justified? Why or why not?

In “ E.P.A. Says It Will Drastically Reduce Animal Testing ,” Mihir Zaveri, Mariel Padilla and Jaclyn Peiser write about the decision:

The E.P.A. Administrator Andrew Wheeler said the agency plans to reduce the amount of studies that involve mammal testing by 30 percent by 2025, and to eliminate the studies entirely by 2035, though some may still be approved on a case-by-case basis. The agency said it would also invest $4.25 million in projects at four universities and a medical center that are developing alternate ways of testing chemicals that do not involve animals. “We can protect human health and the environment by using cutting-edge, ethically sound science in our decision-making that efficiently and cost-effectively evaluates potential effects without animal testing,” Mr. Wheeler said in a memo announcing the changes. The E.P.A. has for decades required testing on a variety of animals — including rats, dogs, birds and fish — to gauge their toxicity before the chemicals can be bought, sold or used in the environment.

The article continues:

The practice of testing with animals has long prompted complex debates driven by passionate views on morality and scientific imperative. Reaction to Tuesday’s announcement was no different. “We are really excited as this has been something we’ve wanted for quite some time,” said Kitty Block, the president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States, an animal protection organization. “The alternatives are the future. They’re more efficient and save lives.” Kathleen Conlee, the vice president of animal research issues at the Humane Society, said the E.P.A.’s move is “broad-sweeping and significant.” “This is the first time a government agency has made such a commitment and timelined its specific goals along the way,” Ms. Conlee said. “There’s been a lot of positive action among other federal agencies, but we want to see all government agencies take this step.” Tracey Woodruff, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco’s school of medicine, said current alternatives to animal testing are somewhat useful. But Dr. Woodruff, who worked at the E.P.A. from 1994 to 2007, said only animal testing — a process honed over decades — was robust enough to gauge chemicals’ impacts on people of various ages, genetics and health backgrounds. “I definitely think we should be investing more in this research,” she said, referring to alternative testing. “But it’s really not ready for making decisions yet — at least the way that E.P.A. is making decisions.” Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist at Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group, said she was very concerned by the announcement. Dr. Sass said animals were still necessary to study chronic conditions, like cancer and infertility. Cells in a petri dish cannot yet replace whole living systems, she said. “The E.P.A.’s deadline is arbitrary,” Dr. Sass said. “Our interest isn’t in speed, it’s getting it right. We want proper animal testing because we don’t want harmful chemicals to end up in our food, air and water.”

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Do you support the decision by the E.P.A. to move away from requiring the testing of potentially harmful chemicals on animals? Or do you think animal testing is still necessary to regulate harmful substances that can have adverse effects on humans?

How important is it to you that the toxicity of chemicals and other environmental contaminants is rigorously studied and regulated? Why? Do you think not testing on animals hinders those efforts?

The Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Veterans Affairs are among the government agencies that still rely on animal testing. Do you think animal testing is important in these sectors or any others? Why or why not?

Do you think animal testing is ever justified? If so, what should be the criteria for when, how and on what animals testing is done?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Natalie Proulx joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2017 after working as an English language arts teacher and curriculum writer. More about Natalie Proulx

voter voice icon

  • The Importance of Animal Research
  • BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH

essay on is animal testing necessary

Research Advancing Health

The goal of biomedical research is to translate discoveries and observations in the laboratory or clinic into new therapies. Biomedical research methods range from predictive studies to those that involve whole living systems. Areas of study may include (1) gross populations, (2) individual human subjects, (3) nonhuman animals, (4) in vitro techniques using cells and tissues from humans, animals or even plants, (5) microorganisms including bacteria, yeast or viruses, and even (6) molecular analyses of genes, proteins and other biomolecules. Animal models are utilized in biomedical research when questions require a study of whole organisms that cannot be carried out in humans.

Research

Typically, animal studies are essential for research that seeks to understand complex questions of disease progression, genetics, lifetime risk or other biological mechanisms of a whole living system that would be unethical, morally unacceptable or technically unfeasible or too difficult to perform in human subjects. The most common laboratory animal in biomedical research are purpose bred rats and transgenic mice. In fact, approximately 95% of all warm-blooded laboratory animals are rodents. The contributions made by these animals and other species help researchers answer questions of biological uncertainty and are necessary and critical to the advancement of both human and animal health.

Other very important aids include mathematical modeling, database analysis, computer simulations and in vitro models, such as cell and tissue cultures. These computational methods are utilized to analyze large volumes of historical experimental data in order to highlight biological trends and high priority research objectives, as well as to compile large volumes of experimental data into virtual biological systems and networks that, within the bounds of current knowledge, are capable of making predictive assessments of research questions.

The focus of biomedical researchers are diverse, but all seek to answer questions relevant to human and animal health that may one day translate into clinical practice. Research programs can be found in public health, epidemiology, preventive medicine, epigenetics, cancer, aging, endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, diabetes, cellular biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, psychopharmacology, neuroscience, genetics, virology and much more.

Role of Animal Research in Medical Advances

Virtually every major medical advance of the last century has depended upon research with animals.  Animals have served as surrogates in the investigation of human diseases and have yielded valuable data in the process of discovering new ways to treat, cure or prevent them. From immunizations to cancer therapy, our ability to manage the health of animals has also improved because of animal research and the application of medical breakthroughs in veterinary medicine.

While a majority of the American public supports the necessary use of animals in biomedical research, they are also concerned about the care and treatment of laboratory animals. NABR, along with the scientific community, is committed to ensuring that all research conducted is ethical, responsible and humane.

essay on is animal testing necessary

The close relationship between dogs and people may pre-date recorded history. Over millennia, dogs have become our most beloved pets and also our hardest working partners. They guide those with special needs; help police, fire and rescue personnel; and even assist in herding other animals. One of the most significant results of our partnership with dogs has been their contribution to our understanding of disease, and how to prevent and cure it. In fact, dogs and people get many of the same diseases, from heart disease to cancer. What we can glean from studying dogs in medical and scientific research often yields treatments that help not only people, but also dogs themselves.

Dogs

Mice and Rats

Rodents play an invaluable role in biomedical research. Approximately 95% of all laboratory animals are mice and rats. Reducing reliance on higher-order species, rodents have become the animal model of choice for biomedical researchers because their physiology and genetic makeup closely resembles that of people. Despite certain differences between people and rodents, the similarities are strong enough to give researchers an enormously powerful and versatile mammalian system in which to investigate human disease.

essay on is animal testing necessary

Non-Human Primates

Medical advances are usually built on a foundation of basic biomedical research and the application of newly found knowledge is often proved feasible in non-human primate (NHPs) models. Although irreplaceable in many types of research, only about 1/4 of 1% of animals used in research in the U.S. are NHPs and most of these animals are species of monkeys, not chimpanzees or other great apes. Historically, the polio vaccine, blood transfusions and organ transplantation among many other advances could not have been possible without NHP research.

Read here how non-human primates are helping in curing diseases      

Non-Human Primates

Medical Progress and Biomedical Research The Nobel Laureates

Every Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded in the last three decades was dependent on data from animal models. Overall, 83% of the Nobel Prizes awarded for outstanding contributions to medicine have involved animal research since the program was founded in 1901, more than 100 years ago. To learn more about the lab animals that have made important contributions in nearly every Nobel Prize in medicine, click here to find out more from the Foundation of Biomedical  Research website.

essay on is animal testing necessary

THE ANIMAL RESEARCH BEHIND THE TOP 25 MOST PRESCRIBED DRUGS

Animal research and testing were needed for every prescription medicine available today.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration  (FDA) requires animal testing to ensure the safety of many drugs and devices.

Please click here to find out about the Top 25 Drugs from Foundation of Biomedical Research website.

THE ANIMAL RESEARCH

Is animal testing necessary to advance medical research?

See also our followup blog post from animal testing expert Andrew Knight .

Looking for a previous Argument? See the full list of debates .

essay on is animal testing necessary

Pro-Test march in Oxford, UK.

Edmond Terakopian / PA Archive / Press Association

Biomedical research is a difficult process, to say the least. The human body is the most complex machine yet encountered, consisting of trillions of cells, each containing billions of molecules, many of which are composed of tens of thousands of atoms. These molecular machines perform their designated tasks with incredible precision, working within a stunningly interdependent environment, from the level of molecules communicating with each other over minute distances right up to entire organ systems interacting with one another. Biomedical researchers need tools capable of mimicking this level of complexity. The past century or so has seen an explosion in the availability of investigative tools – cell cultures, non-invasive imaging, computer models – these are all powerful techniques in humanity’s arsenal in the war against disease and ignorance, but none of them fully replicates the intricacy of a living organism.

Without the ability to use animals in their research, scientists’ efforts would be massively hampered, not only in the direct development of new treatments, but also in the fundamental research which underpins all biomedical knowledge. For example, it was Alan Lloyd Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley’s work on the nerves of squid that elucidated the basis of nervous transmission; and it was John C Eccles’ work on cats’ spinal cords that first incontrovertibly demonstrated the nature of the synapse, earning him a share of the 1963 Nobel in Physiology, along with Hodgkin and Huxley. Without their work on animals, we would know far less about the workings of our own nervous systems and how to treat them.

essay on is animal testing necessary

PETA’s action in the US.

Lai Seng Sin / AP / Press Association Images

Absolutely! The human body – indeed most living systems – is extremely complex. This

complexity and intricacy is precisely why animals are not good models for human medicine.

Humans differ from other animals anatomically, genetically and metabolically, meaning data derived from animals cannot be extrapolated to humans with sufficient accuracy.

Understandably, when a drug or other medical treatment is developed, it must be tested in an entire living system. Using another species is using the wrong system. Considering the differences that occur on the metabolic, genetic and molecular levels, when applied to an entire biological system those intricate differences become exponential. Pre-clinical testing needs to be conducted in such a way that eliminates the risk of species differences and is instead directly applicable to humans.

Medical advances should be weighed up against the delays and tragedies caused by reliance on animal experiments – the thalidomide disaster whereby tens of thousands of children were born with severe deformities not predicted in animal tests, to name one of the most famous, but there are many others. While some discoveries have been attributed to animal use, it does not necessarily mean that they could not have been made through other means. Dr John McArdle said: ‘Historically, vivisection has been much like a slot machine. If researchers pull the experimentation lever often enough, eventually some benefits will result by pure chance.’ Such logic does not constitute good science. Good science, relevant and, importantly, efficient science is what we must strive for.

essay on is animal testing necessary

www.CartoonStock.com

It’s undeniable that there are significant variations between species, but part of research is taking these differences into account and selecting appropriate model organisms to replicate the system one is testing. Fortunately, researchers have devised many routes of minimizing inter-species variation, such as the use of transgenic animals – genetically altered to replicate human physiology more closely. This has additional benefits, including shorter generation-span, allowing scientists to perform experiments which simply would not be possible using humans (even ignoring ethical concerns).

I’d love to hear a proposal for methods to realistically replace these animal models that ‘eliminate the risk of species differences’, but currently none exist, and developing these methods is still well within the realm of science fiction. To suggest otherwise is highly misleading. One can claim that medical discoveries can be made using exclusively non-animal methods, but unless one can suggest realistic replacements, these claims are hollow.

The thalidomide tragedy in fact resulted from insufficient animal testing. At the time it was not standard procedure to give pregnant animals drugs before clinical use. Once investigators became aware of thalidomide’s mutating effects, experiments using pregnant animals confirmed the results, leading to these tests becoming standard for pre-clinical drug testing.

Even when genetically modified, there is no single animal model that can accurately mimic the complex human situation. There are far too many unknown variables that cannot all be accounted for. Instead, we now have scientific (not fiction) technologies such as microfluidic chips and microdosing. Not only do these techniques analyse the effects of drugs on an entire living system, they analyze a human living system, eliminating error caused by species differences and resulting in data that is relevant to humans.

Systematic reviews conducted in the areas of toxicity testing and biomedical research have shown that alternatives are far more predictive of human outcomes than data obtained from animals.

The results obtained from testing thalidomide (post-disaster) on pregnant animals only resulted in defects when given to white New Zealand rabbits – at doses between 25 to 300 times that given to humans, and certain species of monkeys – at ten times the dose. Even if the drug had been tested on those specific species (by chance) thalidomide would still have gone to market since the vast majority of species showed no defects, and of those that did, only at much higher doses than given to humans.

Claiming that microfluidics and microdosing can analyze drug effects on a full living system is absurd. How can a fluid-based chip replicate the most basic heart, let alone a human one? Microdosing can be useful for studying uptake mechanisms of a drug, but gives extremely limited information on its efficacy at treating a condition. ‘Alternatives’ are already widely used in research, but expecting them to replace animal tests in the near future is hugely naïve. It’s true that thalidomide doesn’t affect all species, which is part of the basis for drugs being tested on a variety of carefully selected species. These models will never be perfect but, as any scientist will tell you, no test is. We must use the best available model, and some of the time this means using animals.

More importantly, you continue to ignore the most important use of animals in science – basic research. Without access to live organisms, we would know far less about the function of the cardiovascular system, how digestion works, hormonal interactions, and a vast array of other data which none of your proposed ‘alternatives’ could even hope to elucidate. Thus, if we value progression of medical knowledge, animal research is a necessity.

Without emotion, we can say that no model is perfect, but a battery of human-specific methodologies in pre-clinical testing is far more predictive than depending on data from another species. Even the US Federal Drug Administration confirms that nine out of ten drugs ‘proven’ successful in animal tests fail in human trials. This not only questions the efficacy and the fundamental argument for using animals, but critically raises the question about all the drugs that failed in animals which might have worked in humans. How many discarded cures for cancer?

In the past, much research has been based on animals because we didn’t know any better. Today we are far more aware of the dangers of extrapolating from one species to another and we have scientific research methods – mass spectrometry, genome mapping, innovative imaging techniques and highly developed computer models capable of simulating parts of the human body as mathematical equations and three-dimensional graphical models, just to name a few more.

Terminally ill patients don’t care whether a cancer drug works on a mouse, or that some disease can be cured in another species. Such claims only taunt them with false hope. These people need real cures based on real science – not misleading and antiquated animal experiments.

New Internationalist issue 444 cover

Subscribe today

Never miss another story! Get our free regular enews

A weekly newsletter with the best of our journalism.

Ethical Shop logo

Don't forget to get your One World Calendar.

Latest stories.

essay on is animal testing necessary

Is hypocrisy at play in Indonesia's elections?

Indonesia has not ratified the Genocide Convention, putting its history and candidates in the spotli

essay on is animal testing necessary

'Seeing all our struggles as connected has never been more important'

War on Want’s Liz McKean on the importance of connecting global struggles ahead of the organization’s festival of solida

essay on is animal testing necessary

Kenya’s Indigenous communities demand action on land rights

The Endorois and Ogiek communities are still waiting to return to their rightful ancestral lands.  Anthony Langat

essay on is animal testing necessary

'Either we move beyond capitalism, or we die'

Filmmaker Raoul Martinez on why he’s profiled the maverick Greek economist Yanis Varoufakis for a new documentary series

NewInternationalist Magazine Cover

  • Discover unique global perspectives
  • Support cutting-edge independent media
  • Magazine delivered to your door or inbox
  • Digital archive of over 500 issues
  • Fund in-depth, high quality journalism

Subscribe Today

essay on is animal testing necessary

Using animals for scientific research is still indispensable for society as we know it

essay on is animal testing necessary

Senior Advisor Animal Ethics and Outreach, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University

essay on is animal testing necessary

Professor, Radboud University

essay on is animal testing necessary

Associate Professor in Neuroinformatics, Radboud University

Disclosure statement

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

View all partners

Kenya’s national airline – Kenya Airways – made headlines when it announced it would stop transporting monkeys for animal research. This followed an accidental highway crash in Pennsylvania , in the US, which involved a truck transporting monkeys that had been bred in Mauritius for laboratory experiments in the US.

Following the accident, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) US, an animal rights group, contacted Kenya Airways urging them to reconsider transporting the animals, putting forward their view that animal experimentation is a cruel industry.

Read more: The macaque monkeys of Mauritius: an invasive alien species, and a major export for research

Such an incident is indeed tragic. But if we consider the number of people who would have died without the existence of medication and novel medical technologies developed thanks to animal research, then ending animal research could lead to a more tragic outcome in the longer term.

Most countries do animal research, perhaps not very tiny countries or very poor countries. There is a nationwide ban on animal testing for cosmetics throughout the European Union, Israel, Norway, as well as in India. But animal testing for other reasons is still widely accepted.

Most of the animals used come from commercial breeders – one is Jackson Laboratory in the US. Other sources include specialist breeders and large breeding centres which can provide genetically modified animals for specific research. The animal testing facilities themselves may also rear animals.

In general, all over the world, policymakers do aim to move towards animal-free methods of scientific research and have introduced very strict regulations for animal research.

Scientists and policymakers share the long-term goal of reducing animal use in scientific research and where possible eventually even stopping it. It’s an ambitious goal. For this to happen, animal-free methods need to be developed and validated before they can become a new standard.

Animal-free innovations have been developed for some areas of biomedical research, such as toxicology . However, most parties recognise that at present, not all research questions can be answered using only animal-free methods.

Based on decades of doing research on the human brain, which involves using animals, to us it’s clear that – for the foreseeable future – there remains a crucial need for animal models to understand health and disease and to develop medicines.

Unique knowledge

It is animal research that provides researchers with unique knowledge about how humans and animals function. Perhaps more than in any other field of biomedical research, complete living animals are needed to understand brain function, behaviour and cognition.

Behaviour and cognition, the final outputs of a brain organ, cannot be mimicked using any existing animal-free technologies. We currently simply do not understand the brain well enough to make animal-free solutions.

Another striking, very recent example that showed the current need for animal research is the COVID-19 pandemic . The way out of the pandemic required the development of a functioning vaccine. Researchers amazed the world when they made targeted vaccines available within one year. This, however, has relied greatly on the use of animals for testing the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.

A key fact that remains often invisible is that the rules and regulations for conducting animal research are, in comparison, perhaps even stricter and more regulated, by for example the Animal Welfare act in the US and the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals used for Experimental and other Scientific Purposes in Europe. Than, for example, in the food and entertainment industry, although regulations are in place here too such as governmental rules for the treatment of animals in order to protect their health and wellbeing.

Should it be banned?

In the world as we know it today, animal research is still generally accepted as part of society. There are many important reasons why laboratory animal research is still needed:

To learn about biological processes in animals and humans.

To learn about the cause of diseases.

To develop new treatments and vaccines and evaluate their effects.

To develop methods that can prevent disease both in animals and humans.

To develop methods for the management of animals such as pests but also for the conservation of endangered species.

Of course many, animal researchers included, are hopeful that one day animal experiments will no longer be necessary to achieve the much needed scientific outcomes. However, the situation is that for many research questions related to human and animal health we still need animals.

As long as we cannot replace animals, there should be more focus on transparency and animal welfare, to benefit the animals as well as science. Awareness and financial support of this at the governmental level is key to enable animal researchers to always strive for the highest level of animal welfare possible.

  • Scientific research
  • Science and innovation for development

Want to write?

Write an article and join a growing community of more than 178,500 academics and researchers from 4,879 institutions.

Register now

logo

Animal Testing Essay Guide + Topics

Animal testing argumentative essay guide

Whether you are taking a position for or against animal testing in your essay, here are some helpful hacks, tips, and tricks you can use to ace your paper.

Animal testing is a controversial issue of global scope. However, with pandemics and outbreaks being a common phenomenon and the rise of the cosmetics industry, many animals are used in scientific research. Also known as in-vivo, animal experimentation, or animal research, animal testing entails using animals in different levels of experiments to investigate the reactions, performance, and potency of various medications, drugs, cosmetic products, and foods.

Use in both biological, medical, and now beauty studies, animal testing has gained comprehensive coverage. When writing persuasive or argumentative essays, you are likely to be given an animal testing research topic for your essay. The interest of commercial bodies and pharmaceutical companies and the ethics surrounding everything that occurs around us makes writing an animal testing argumentative or persuasive essay interesting.

When we asked 100 students who had ordered custom persuasive or argumentative animal testing essays from our website, they confessed that writing the essay only seems easy at its face value. However, it becomes complicated as they plan, conduct research, and write animal research papers. Do not fear, though because, you can either get an argumentative essay expert to write your essay or a model essay for you. Alternatively, use this guide to write a paper that will check all the boxes that your professor or instructor supposes you cannot.

What to include in your introduction?

When writing an animal testing introduction, avoid wasting too many words. Instead, write an introduction that attracts your readers, piques their interest, and keeps them glued to the end. This means that you should have: (a) hook , (b)background statement (where you explore the problem at hand), and (c) your animal-testing thesis statement.

Most of the top essay writers on our website revealed that they usually search for animal testing essay examples online for inspiration : it helps get a general atmosphere surrounding a controversial topic. With such a background, they can develop a thesis statement that defines their stance and the scope of their animal research essay.

Here are some excellent ideas for your first sentence or the hook:

  • Statistics of animals killed annually for research
  • Facts on animals are mostly used
  • The position of the society
  • Catchy facts
  • Controversial statements on animal research
  • Shocking facts about animal testing, e.g., Surprisingly, as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal reports, almost 100 million animals are killed in just the laboratories in the U.S. for research such as biology lessons, experimentation, food, drug, and cosmetic testing. Imagine how the statistics will skew upwards if we considered the entire world's population of animals killed every hour.
  • Rhetorical questions : you use this to make the reader intrigued to read more about the topic. For example, Would you rather use a drug tested on a volunteer human or other animal-safe alternative research approaches, and one that is effective or use a drug tested on animals whose failure rate is slightly high? or Do you believe that morality should be enforced in medical research, especially when animal rights are infringed?

The background of your animal testing research paper introduction can include:

  • Definition of animal testing
  • The extent of animal testing.'
  • The historical context of animal testing
  • Breakthroughs of animal testing
  • Expert opinion over animal testing
  • Description of the problem
  • The debate surrounding animal testing

Animal Testing Essay Outline/Structure

Your outline will depend on whether you are writing pro-animal testing or against animal testing research paper. Here is a generalized example of the outline for an animal testing essay.

A well-structured animal testing essay will automatically earn you marks. In most cases, it follows the conventional five-paragraph essay format divided into the introduction, main body, and conclusion.

The introduction and conclusion are each 10% of the word count, while the main body is 80%. You have to format your paper in APA, MLA, or Harvard format as your professor requires. To understand the formatting requirements, read the prompt and rubric of the animal testing essay keenly.

Remember to maintain a single idea per every body paragraph. That idea must reflect in the topic sentence of the paragraph to enable your audience to distinguish your major arguments.

The contents of the body paragraphs must also support the thesis. If there is a counterargument, make it known in your second last paragraph that precedes the conclusion.

Introduction

  • 10% of the word count
  • Begin with a stellar hook sentence
  • Provide background to your chosen topic
  • Have an outstanding thesis statement
  • Transition to the main body of your essay
  • Comprises 80% of the word count
  • It can be three paragraphs for short essays or more for a long-form research paper
  • Provide the history of animal testing, if necessary.
  • Look at the roles of regulation and legislation in preventing animal cruelty.
  • Explore the different bodies involved in preventing or lobbying against animal testing.
  • Explore the breakthroughs of animal testing
  • Explore the different alternatives to animal testing: why they can work or why they cannot
  • Each paragraph should have its idea
  • Transition to your conclusion
  • Provide a summary of the paper
  • Highlight your significant arguments and counterarguments
  • Offer recommendations, if necessary
  • Rephrase your thesis statement and show how evidence has supported it in your essay.

Alternative Methods to Animal Testing to include in your paper

Cruelty-Free International argues that non-animal testing methods are cheaper, reliable, and more effective. You can recommend some of these alternatives in your animal testing research paper or essay, considering they elongate the discussion on this seemingly controversial topic.

  • Computer modeling
  • Cell cultures
  • Human tissues
  • Volunteer studies
  • Use of egg embryo
  • Use of unicellular organisms
  • The LAL tests
  • In vitro methods

Now, when writing an argumentative essay about animal testing, especially if you take a stance against it, listing these alternatives can strengthen your arguments. Look at this model animal testing essay and craft yours along the same line.

Tips for Concluding your Animal Testing Essay

There is no different way to end an animal testing essay, as it is the same as ending any essay. Thus, when you read our cheat sheet for ending an argumentative essay , you will understand that the main thing is to have a definitive conclusion.

The conclusion is not the place to introduce new ideas. Instead, you will summarize the main points of the essay and restate the thesis in a revamped version. Show your writers the connection between your main arguments and the recommendations you are making. If there is a counterstatement, explain your rationale for it.

When writing the conclusion, make it clear, concise, and coherent. For example, an excellent animal-testing essay conclusion will have the introduction sentence, the summary of the main body, and the closing sentence.

Strive to leave your reader yearning for more : you get to tickle the best grades even from that stingy professor. Weave together the concluding paragraph with appropriate sentence transitions and do not overdo it. Keep everything simple, and you will win the main marks assigned to a reasonable conclusion.

Now that we have everything explained, we can look at some of the main topics you can use as titles for animal testing papers.

Examples of Controversial and Latest Animal Testing Essay Topics

Animal testing topics

We asked our top writers to suggest some topics they think fit well for an animal testing essay. We got a total of fifty entries that you can select and write something about. If you are stuck and want an essay sample urgently, we can write such an essay for you in a few hours, thanks to our website that helps students write essays ASAP . You can choose from these animal testing essay titles:

  • Animal testing should be banned
  • Animal testing is not ethical
  • Pros and cons of animal testing
  • Alternative methods to using animals in drugs development
  • Controversy in using animal testing in medical and cosmetic research
  • Neglected interests and inhuman practices during animal testing
  • The cruelty of animal testing
  • Horrors of animal testing
  • Accidents during animal testing
  • Ethics of transporting caged animals for animal research
  • The future of animal testing, given the advancement in biotechnology
  • Medical animal testing should be banned
  • Should guinea pigs be used for lab work research?
  • New, better, and innovative treatments for humanity
  • Using animals in medical research is ethical and essential
  • Science and the murder of one hundred million animals annually
  • Importance of animals in clinical trials
  • Importance of animal testing in vaccine development
  • Is animal testing necessary for human survival?
  • Animal testing as an experimentation industry
  • Effectiveness of animal testing
  • Exploring the role of Cruelty-Free International Organization
  • Role of religious bodies in advocating for animal-testing-free society
  • The Americans for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) organization
  • Ethical issues in animal experimentation
  • How animal cruelty affects the ecosystem
  • Animal models in vaccine development
  • Defining animal cruelty
  • Treatment versus rights of animals
  • Are animal model results safe for humans?
  • Migraine Treatment and Animal testing
  • Dinitrophenol drug for overweight and Animal testing
  • Anti-arthritis Treatment and Animal Testing
  • Animal use in unmanned war drones
  • Positive and negative outcomes of animal testing
  • Role of media in influencing animal testing
  • The politics of deception in animal testing
  • Problems associated with animal testing
  • Animal testing should be controlled and not stopped
  • Licenses that are required for one to conduct animal testing
  • Role of Big Pharma in advancing animal testing.
  • Can plants be used as an alternative to animal testing?
  • Impacts of animal testing on ecology
  • How does animal testing affect the economy?
  • Can animal testing result in bioweapons?
  • Use of technology to predict diseases and outcomes rather than animal testing.
  • Are the rights and feelings of animals considered in animal experimentation?
  • Are animals used in tests free?
  • Reasons rats, rabbits, and pigs are widely used in animal testing
  • Can volunteer human beings replace animals in medical research?
  • The best approach to take care of animals used in experimentation
  • Breakthroughs after animal testing
  • Animal testing and the cosmetics industry
  • History of animal testing
  • Role of CDC in animal testing research
  • Role of WHO on animal testing authorization

Where and how to get help with your Animal Testing Essays?

In our article, we have extensively referenced our custom essay writers who can help you ace your animal testing essays. If you feel that the guide cannot help you break down the essay or are short of time, you can pay someone on our website to write one for you. When you buy an argumentative essay from our website, we assign it to a pro writer who will research, draft, and write the paper from scratch.

Our bespoke essay service ensures that every paper is done as though you would have done it. This means that the writer cites every animal testing journal article, credible website, or relevant scholarly resources as you would have done. They do this when they summarize, paraphrase, or quote from the sources.

Therefore, you are guaranteed 100% original and plagiarism-free animal testing essays. Furthermore, whether you are for or against animal testing, we have a writer who can write your argumentative essay outline, annotated bibliography, research paper, and essay.

They can take an ethical stance or argue based on what society or professionals/experts think about the issue.

Trust us with your paper because we have done this time and again : written untraceable papers for students. Our writers are fast, accurate, respectable, and experienced. They know how to score the top grade on the rubric. All the papers we have done have been used as best argumentative essay samples on should animal testing be banned? yours could be the next one.

Are you a student with weak English and need help? Our ESL writers can craft a paper that sounds like someone who does not grasp English. Alternatively, our ENL writers also know how to tone down an English paper. After all, we serve both ESL and ENL clients. Go to our home page, click on order now, place your order and pay for it, and wait as we complete it for you.

essay on is animal testing necessary

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

paypal logo

  • IELTS Scores
  • Life Skills Test
  • Find a Test Centre
  • Find Student Housing
  • General Training
  • Academic Word List
  • Topic Vocabulary
  • Collocation
  • Phrasal Verbs
  • Writing eBooks
  • Reading eBook
  • All eBooks & Courses
  • Sample Essays

Animal Testing Essay

Ielts animal testing essay.

Here you will find an example of an IELTS  animal testing essay .

In this essay, you are asked to discuss the arguments  for  and  against  animal testing, and then give  your own conclusions  on the issue.

Animal Testing Essay

This means you must look at both sides of the issue and you must also be sure you give your opinion too.

The essay is similar to an essay that says " Discuss both opinions and then give your opinion " but it is worded differently.

Take a look at the question and model answer below, and think about how the essay has been organised and how it achieves coherence and cohesion.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Examine the arguments in favour of and against animal experiments, and come to a conclusion on this issue.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Animals Testing Essay - Model Answer

Issues related to animal experimentation are frequently discussed these days, particularly in the media. It is often said that animals should not be used in testing because it is cruel and unnecessary. This essay will examine the arguments for and against animal testing. 

On the one hand, the people who support these experiments say that we must do tests on animals. For instance, many famous lifesaving drugs were invented in this way, and animal experiments may help us to find more cures in the future. Indeed, possibly even a cure for cancer and AIDS. Furthermore, the animals which are used are not usually wild but are bred especially for experiments. Therefore, they believe it is not true that animal experiments are responsible for reducing the number of wild animals on the planet. 

On the other hand, others feel that there are good arguments against this. First and foremost, animal experiments are unkind and cause animals a lot of pain. In addition, they feel that many tests are not really important, and in fact animals are not only used to test new medicines but also new cosmetics, which could be tested on humans instead. Another issue is that sometimes an experiment on animals gives us the wrong result because animals’ bodies are not exactly the same as our own. As a consequence, this testing may not be providing the safety that its proponents claim.

In conclusion, I am of the opinion, on balance, that the benefits do not outweigh the disadvantages, and testing on animals should not continue. Although it may improve the lives of humans, it is not fair that animals should suffer in order to achieve this.

(Words 278)

This animal testing essay would achieve a high score.

It fully answers all parts of the task - explaining the arguments ' for ' in the first paragraph and the arguments ' against ' in the next. Conclusions are then drawn with the writer giving their opinion in the conclusion.

It is thus very clearly organised, with each body paragraph having a central idea .

Ideas are also extended and supported by the use of reasons and some examples or further clarification. No ideas are left unclear or unexplained.

There is also some good topic related vocabulary in the animal testing essay such as 'life saving drugs ' and 'bred ' and a mix of complex sentences , such as adverbial clauses :

'Although it may improve the lives of humans, it is not fair that animals should suffer in order to achieve this'.

Noun clauses :

'...they feel that many tests are not really important'.

And relative clauses :

'...the animals which are used are not usually wild... '

Transitions are also used effectively to ensure there is good coherence and cohesion . For example, ' On the other hand.. ' indicates a change to discuss the contrasting ideas, and ' Therefore... " and ' As a consequence..' are used to give results.

<<< Back

Next >>>

More 'Hybrid' Type IELTS Essays:

essay on is animal testing necessary

Fear of Crime Essay: Can more be done to prevent crime?

In this fear of crime essay question for IELTS you have to discuss whether more can be down to prevent crime. It's an opinion type essay.

essay on is animal testing necessary

IELTS Essay: What influence do children’s friends have on them?

In this influence of children's friends essay for IELTS you have to discuss the way children's friends may affect their behaviour and what parents can do to control this.

essay on is animal testing necessary

Old Buildings Essay: How important is it to maintain & protect them?

This essay is about old buildings and whether they should be protected. It's an opinion essay, as you have to give your opinion on protecting old buildings.

essay on is animal testing necessary

Communication Technology Essay: How have relationships changed?

Communication Technology Essay for IELTS: This essay is about how relationships have been impacted. View a model answer with tips on how to answer the Task 2 Question.

Any comments or questions about this page or about IELTS? Post them here. Your email will not be published or shared.

Before you go...

Check out the ielts buddy band 7+ ebooks & courses.

essay on is animal testing necessary

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  • Click on the HTML link code below.
  • Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Band 7+ eBooks

"I think these eBooks are FANTASTIC!!! I know that's not academic language, but it's the truth!"

Linda, from Italy, Scored Band 7.5

ielts buddy ebooks

IELTS Modules:

Other resources:.

  • All Lessons
  • Band Score Calculator
  • Writing Feedback
  • Speaking Feedback
  • Teacher Resources
  • Free Downloads
  • Recent Essay Exam Questions
  • Books for IELTS Prep
  • Student Housing
  • Useful Links

essay on is animal testing necessary

Recent Articles

RSS

IELTS Fees in Pakistan

Feb 10, 24 10:23 AM

IELTS Graph: Recycling Rate for Four Selected Materials

Feb 06, 24 02:24 AM

The graph shows the recycling rate in a particular country for four selected materials from 1982 to 2010

How IELTS Reading is Scored: IELTS Band Score Conversion Table

Jan 27, 24 06:51 AM

IELTS Reading Raw Score Conversion

Important pages

IELTS Writing IELTS Speaking IELTS Listening   IELTS Reading All Lessons Vocabulary Academic Task 1 Academic Task 2 Practice Tests

Connect with us

essay on is animal testing necessary

Copyright © 2022- IELTSbuddy All Rights Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

Animal Testing Argumentative Essay: Guidelines

Argumentative Essay on Animal Testing

How to Write a Great Animal Testing Argumentative Essay?

Animal testing sample.

According to the statistical data, testing in the US is conducted on 26 million animals. Those animals are used for research in the field of commercial products and various scientific advancements. Besides, animals are used to test the latest medical treatment, check on the toxicity of drugs, and verify the level of safety that the products aimed at people will have. Animal testing is also in demand in the commercial industry and the area of health care. Since it is an issue of intense arguments whether it is ethically correct to use the animals in experiments, an animal testing argumentative essay is among the most popular topics at schools, colleges, and universities.

The idea to use animals in experiments is not new. Actually, it is a practice that dates back to 500 BC; and even at that time, there were those who supported this idea and those who were against it. The latter claim that it is cruel and inhumane to test the products using animals, and they call for the development of the new alternative techniques which will eliminate the need for animal testing.

Such organizations as PETA campaign in order to increase the range of relevant research and make the process of developing alternative testing methods faster and more efficient. It is reasonable that an animal testing essay of a student who supports this point of view will state the requirement to alleviate testing on animals. It will also contain an argument that animal testing does not ensure absolutely valid results as tests conducted on animals are different from those done to humans; that is why the question is whether animal testing has any practical sense at all.

Good Argumentative Essay Topics

On the other hand, an argumentative essay on animal testing can be written from the point of view of the advantages of the use of animals in medicine. It is wrong to hurt living beings, but it is necessary to test the safety of new products before using them for the benefit of people. Typically, rats are the first animals used for research. In case the tests prove to be effective, monkeys are the next subjects for a series of tests. Only if these experiments are successful, the product can be given to people.

An animal testing argumentative essay always mentions the benefit of reducing the number of errors and fatal mistakes owing to a round of tests on animals. It also mentions that the number of saved people’s lives is enormous owing to the sacrificed lives of animals. Actually, there is hardly any effective alternative to animal testing. Furthermore, it is subject to following strict regulations to ensure the prevention of all kinds of animal mistreatment.

In general, the debates over the use of animals in testing for medical research testing have been historically known for centuries. After the animal testing essay introduction, it is typical to present the claims of the proponents. They imply that there is no intentional harm in animal testing; moreover, the animals are well kept, fed, and treated nicely. Besides, they state that the absence of effective alternatives makes it impossible to eliminate this practice. They also emphasize the benefit of saving lives owing to animal testing. Nevertheless, certain environmental organizations aimed at the protection of animals call for no more animals in research and testing because of the cruel and inhumane practices.

Writing an animal testing argumentative essay outline , one should take into consideration that animal testing is a matter of various discussions. Thus, it is important to choose a certain position and focus the whole assignment on this point of view. A common task for the students is to work on an argumentative paper; thus, it is essential to determine and specify a definite position and then develop a thesis statement with the supporting arguments appropriately. For instance, if you make up your mind to look at the animal testing from the angle of supporting position, it is recommended to use the following arguments or similar ones.

Writing Prompts for Animal Testing Essays

Writing Prompts for Argumentative Essay on Animal Testing

Advantages to Write About in Animal Testing Essay

It is impossible to eliminate animal testing as it saves people’s lives.

According to medical researchers, the contribution of testing on animals in the advancement of health care and medicine cannot be overestimated. It is owing to the experiments conducted on animals, people can be treated for breast cancer, tuberculosis, diabetics, malaria, brain injury, and other diseases. Physicians also emphasize the role of chimpanzees in experiments aimed at looking for treatment for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

There Is No Alternative to Experimenting with Animals Because Its the Safest Testing Method Known

An animal testing essay conclusion always refers to the fact that the structure of animals’ organisms that resembles that of humans makes them the most suitable material for research in product testing in the fields of medicine and cosmetics. Animal and human bodies have identical or similar processes. There is an assumption that testing can be conducted on cell organisms, but it is doubtful that it will work, as those tissues cannot be tested for blindness or blood pressure issues.

Currently, animal testing is used as a model for computer programs that will probably substitute it in the future. The provided data prove to be accurate; however, living organisms cannot be replaced with less complex computer programs that do not ensure stimulation of the brain activity.

The Biological Similarity between Animal Species and People Is the Best

The organs of the mammals are identical to those of people; besides, there is a striking genetic closeness between them. The statistical data prove that the genetic similarity between the people and mammals can be up to 98%. Animals have the same bloodstream and central nervous systems with humans; that is why the susceptibility to diseases of both of them is similar.

Client's Review

" Recently I strongly needed professional help with writing a nursing essay. I decided to order one from the Elite Writing service. The essay was done on time without any problems. I am grateful for the help. "

Nataniel C. reviewed EliteWritings on January 24, 2019, via SiteJabber Click to see the original review on an external website.

Ethical Side of Animal Testing

Each essay about animal testing contains an argument about checking of medical treatment for toxicity during the animal testing procedures. It is against all ethical norms to test a new medicine on people and risk their lives. Helsinki Medical Association claims that animal testing should always go before human experiments

Additional Benefits for Animals

As a result of vaccine testing on animals, not only people but animals are saved from terminal diseases. Besides, the development of new medical products contributes to the prevention of species extinction.

Animal Testing Has the Strict Regulations

Various animal testing essay examples demonstrate that there are strict regulations for experimenting with animals nowadays. A topical issue of present-day life is the protection of animal rights, and numerous organizations control the situation. It is important to make sure that there is neither violation of animal rights not the suffering of animals from abuse.

Further Advantages of Animal Testing

The life cycles of animals are shorter than those of people; thus, the experiments on them are more reasonable than those on humans. It is possible to observe all consequences and effects of certain drugs owing to short life cycles in the course of several years or even months.

Animal Testing Implies Humane Treatment

Some students even use the fact of humane treatment of animals in the animal testing essay title. Researchers always take into account the conditions and consequences of experiments and care about animals.

Disadvantages to Write About in Animal Testing Essay

A variety of animal testing essay topics implies considering different opinions of the pros and cons of those experiments. It is important to ensure the presence of alternative ideas to prevent all kinds of bias and ensure having different perspectives on the same issue.

Human societies have always been oriented at innovation and adaptability as desired features. On the other hand, old practices have the tendency of being kept by the researchers and organizations for a number of reasons. In an animal testing argumentative essay, the aspects should be explored in detail.

First of all, let us talk about the benefits.

Ethics in Animal Testing

If the essay is written in support of animal testing, this is one of the easiest points. Animals used for testing lack moral capabilities and conscious mind despite having their DNA equal to the human one in 98 %. A good animal testing essay title always mentions this somehow. Nevertheless, animals suffer and their agony can lead to death in some serious cases.

Try to explore the issues philosophically. Touch upon attributing value to people and animals. Mention the patients with mental illnesses who have no morality or consciousness. Consider the appropriateness of experimenting on such people along with the animals.

An efficient animal testing pros and cons essay should be based on a broad topic and numerous implications for analysis.

Availability of Alternatives

The progress cannot be stopped in the present-day world. It is normal now to get rid of outdated things and introduce innovations. In a perfect why animal testing should be banned essay, try to note that there are and there will be other ways to experiment on new products. For example, it is possible to cultivate human cells and do organ replication in the laboratories to use the obtained organs for testing of biological processes.

Right, all challenges in modern research cannot be addressed via cell testing; besides, the immune system, endocrine system, blood pressure issues and other aspects of the human body cannot be analyzed using cells. On the other hand, testing practices in the laboratories can substitute some animal alternatives, if possible.

" Cool website for students who have problems with academic papers! "

Brian reviewed EliteWritings on November 14, 2019, via TrustPilot Click to see the original review on an external website.

Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement

The mentioned three RRRs (reduction, refinement, and replacement) represent a plan developed by numerous countries to ensure the decrease in the testing with the use of animals. A cosmetic animal testing essay should contain this argument for explanations of why it is important to eradicate the common practice.

  • What is the reduction ?

It is the minimization of the animal testing practice by research centers, laboratories, and companies, and regulation of the affected living creatures via introducing innovative practices and improving the experimental techniques.

  • What is refinement ?

It is changing the lives of tested animals, ensuring good living conditions, the introduction of obligatory anesthesia, and the provision of necessary medical treatment.

  • What is the replacement ?

It is a procedure of transition to innovative methods of conducting experiments with the use of computers, cell culture, micro-dosing by volunteers, human tissue tissues, and other methods.

Overrating of the Contribution

An argument that animal testing should be illegal is used by numerous researchers against the current testing practices. The supporters of the theory cite examples to prove the inevitability of animal experiments for the progress of humans. Nevertheless, it is complicated to make a prediction on how the discoveries can be made without animal testing, but the ideas of progress cannot be based on outdated practices.

It cannot be denied that the development of insulin was made owing to the dogs that had pancreases injected. On the other hand, a medical student from Germany, Paul Langerhans, saw the strange pancreatic tissue cells and encouraged Frederick Banting to make a discovery without any animal testing. Thus, there is a question of whether the disadvantages of animal testing outweigh the benefits obtained. The use of dogs sped up the process but kills many innocent animals. Insulin helped many people survive, but it is complicated to determine how the studies will be affected by animal testing results.

Insufficient Reliability

The efficiency of the animal tests on people is 95% because of the 2% genome divergence between animals and people. The European Union banned the use of animals in testing cosmetics for two reasons. Firstly, the eyes of humans are less sensitive than the eyes of rats and some other animals, thus the experiment results are unreliable. Secondly, other alternatives, for example, tissue testing, can be more effective.

Some researchers claim that animal testing should be allowed, but insufficient reliability may result in tragedies. For instance, tension, anxiety, and insomnia were treated with thalidomide medication in West Germany, and in 1957, as many as 5,000 infants died, and many lost sights, hearing or suffered severe deformities. It is not always right to use the products suitable for animals on humans. Another example is Rezulin that was a trigger of liver failure in people but treated rats with diabetes type 2 perfectly.

High Price of Animal Tests

It is common to pay no attention to this fact. It is assumed that more innovative technology will be even more expensive; however, progress always implies durability, and that should be noted. Financial losses are huge even for common dissection classes. Reliable results require numerous life forms, but computer models can use the required data for analysis in a different way.

Leaving out the Rights

The governments adopted a number of regulations in different countries of the world to ensure the protection of animals’ rights; however, it is a common practice to forget about the animals used for testing when it goes about laws.

Thinking about a good title for an essay on animal testing for medical purposes, do not forget to take into consideration this debatable point. How can it happen that the Animal Welfare Act omits fish, mice, and rats? The researchers are allowed to treat those animals in the way they need for their experiments. Try to explore how moral this situation is.

Global Progress

Your essay should emphasize the crucial importance of certain practices and lack of alternatives; however, it is also essential to touch upon the better options, available now o expected in the future. Every year, the development of technologies causes the emergence of new experimenting methods, making science more efficient and more humane. Mention the subjective opinions of the researchers and limitations of the control samples when talking about animal testing. On the other hand, note the advantages of new computer models that avoid bias and manipulation of data. Animals are less close to people than in cell cultures. All in all, it is more ethical to try alternative testing techniques as they not only protect the animals but also increase the efficiency of science.

Order Custom Essay Writing Services at EliteWritings.com

Please notice.

Some text in the modal.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings
  • Advanced Search
  • Journal List
  • Heart Views
  • v.12(1); Jan-Mar 2011

Animal Testing and Medicine

Rachel hajar.

Department of Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Animals have been used repeatedly throughout the history of biomedical research. Early Greek physician-scientists, such as Aristotle, (384 – 322 BC) and Erasistratus, (304 – 258 BC), performed experiments on living animals. Likewise, Galen (129 – 199 / 217 AD), a Greek physician who practiced in Rome and was a giant in the history of medicine, conducted animal experiments to advance the understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. Ibn Zuhr (Avenzoar), an Arab physician in twelfth century Moorish Spain, introduced animal testing as an experimental method for testing surgical procedures before applying them to human patients.

In recent years, the practice of using animals for biomedical research has come under severe criticism by animal protection and animal rights groups. Laws have been passed in several countries to make the practice more ‘humane’. Debates on the ethics of animal testing have raged since the seventeenth century. Theodore Roosevelt in the nineteenth century stated, “Common sense without conscience may lead to crime, but conscience without common sense may lead to folly, which is the handmaiden of crime.”

Those against, contend that the benefit to humans does not justify the harm to animals. Many people also believe that animals are inferior to humans and very different from them, hence results from animals cannot be applied to humans. Those in favor of animal testing argue that experiments on animals are necessary to advance medical and biological knowledge. Claude Bernard, known as the father of physiology, stated that “experiments on animals are entirely conclusive for the toxicology and hygiene of man. The effects of these substances are the same on man as on animals, save for differences in degree”. Bernard established animal experimentation as part of the standard scientific method.

Drug testing using animals became important in the twentieth century. In 1937, a pharmaceutical company in the USA created a preparation of sulfanilamide, using diethylene glycol (DEG) as a solvent, and called the preparation ‘Elixir Sulfanilamide’. DEG was poisonous to humans, but the company's chief pharmacist and chemist was not aware of this. He simply added raspberry flavoring to the sulfa drug, which he had dissolved in DEG, and the company marketed the product. The preparation led to mass poisoning causing the deaths of more than a hundred people. No animal testing was done. The public outcry caused by this incident and other similar disasters led to the passing of the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requiring safety testing of drugs on animals before they could be marketed.

Another tragic drug fiasco occurred in the late 1950s and early 1960s with thalidomide. It was found to act as an effective tranquilizer and painkiller and was proclaimed a ‘wonder drug’ for insomnia, coughs, colds, and headaches. It was found to have an inhibitory effect on morning sickness, and hence, thousands of pregnant women took the drug to relieve their symptoms. Consequently, more than 10,000 children in 46 countries were born with malformations or missing limbs (phocomelia, from the Greek meaning ‘limb’). The drug was withdrawn in 1961 and 1968 after a long campaign.

The above-mentioned incidents and others illustrate the harm to humans from the use of substances that have not been first tested on animals and underline the importance of animal experimentation to avert or prevent human tragedy. The practice of using animals in biomedical research has led to significant advances in the treatment of various diseases.

Issues such as ‘cruelty’ to animals and the humane treatment of animals are valid concerns, and hence, the use of animals in experimentation is greatly regulated. This has led to the 3Rs campaign, which advocates the search (1) for the replacement of animals with non-living models; (2) reduction in the use of animals; and (3) refinement of animal use practices. However, total elimination of animal testing will significantly set back the development of essential medical devices, medicines, and treatment. By employing the 3Rs when continuing to use animals for scientific research, the scientific community can affirm its moral conscience as well as uphold its obligation to humanity to further the advancement of science for civilization and humanity.

105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Looking for interesting animal testing topics to research and write about? This field is truly controversial and worth studying!

  • 🌶️ Titles: Catchy & Creative
  • 🐶 Essay: How to Write
  • 🏆 Best Essay Examples
  • 📌 Good Topics to Research
  • 🎯 Most Interesting Topics to Write about

❓ Animal Testing Research Questions

In your animal testing essay, you might want to explore the historical or legal perspective, focus on the issue of animal rights, or discuss the advantages or disadvantages of animal testing in medicine, pharmacology, or cosmetic industry. We’ve gathered the most creative and catchy animal testing titles and added top animal testing essay examples. There are also useful tips on making and outline, formulating a thesis, and creating a hook sentence for your animal testing essay.

🌶️ Animal Testing Titles: Catchy & Creative

  • What would life be like without animal testing?
  • Animal testing: the cruelest experiments.
  • AWA: why does not it protect all animals?
  • What if animals experimented on humans?
  • In the skin of a guinea pig: a narrative essay.
  • Opposing animal testing: success stories.
  • Animal-tested products: should they be destroyed?
  • What have we gained from experiments on animals?
  • Animal testing and cancer research: past and present.

🐶 Animal Testing Essay: How to Write

Animal testing has been an acute problem for a long time. Scientists and pharmaceutical firms use this approach to test cosmetics, foods, and other products people use daily.

Essays on animal testing are important because they highlight the significance of the problem. Writing outstanding animal testing essays requires extensive research and dedication.

We have prepared some do’s and don’ts for your excellent essay. But first, you should select a topic for your paper. Here are the examples of animal testing essay topics you can choose from:

  • The question of animal intelligence from the perspective of animal testing
  • Animal testing should (not) be banned
  • How animal testing affects endangered species
  • The history and consequences of animal testing
  • The controversy associated with animal testing
  • Animal Bill of Rights: Pros and cons
  • Is animal testing necessary?

Remember that these animal testing essay titles are just the ideas for your paper. You are free to select other relevant titles and topics for discussion, too. Once you have selected the problem for your essay, you can start working on the paper. Here are some do’s of writing about animal testing:

  • Do extensive preliminary research on the issue you have selected. You should be aware of all the problems associated with your questions, its causes, and consequences. Ask your professor about the sources you can use. Avoid relying on Wikipedia and personal blogs as your primary sources of information.
  • Develop a well-organized outline and think of how you will structure your paper. Think of the main animal testing essay points and decide how you can present them in the paper. Remember to include introductory and concluding sections along with several body paragraphs.
  • Start your paper with a hooking sentence. An animal testing essay hook should grab the reader’s attention. You can present an interesting question or statistics in this sentence.
  • Include a well-defined thesis statement at the end of the introductory section.
  • Your reader should understand the issue you are discussing. Explain what animal testing is, provide arguments for your position, and support them with evidence from your research.
  • Discuss alternative perspectives on the issue if you are working on a persuasive essay. At the same time, you need to show that your opinion is more reliable than the opposing ones.
  • Remember that your paper should not be offensive. Even if you criticize animal testing, stick to the formal language and provide evidence of why this practice is harmful.

There are some important points you should avoid while working on your paper. Here are some important don’ts to remember:

  • Avoid making claims if you cannot reference them. Support your arguments with evidence from the literature or credible online sources even if you are writing an opinion piece. References will help the reader to understand that your viewpoint is reliable.
  • Do not go over or below the word limit. Stick to your professor’s instructions.
  • Avoid copying the essays you will find online. Your paper should be plagiarism-free.
  • Avoid making crucial grammatical mistakes. Pay attention to the word choice and sentence structures. Check the paper several times before sending it for approval. If you are not sure whether your grammar is correct, ask a friend to look through the paper for you.

Do not forget to look at some of our free samples that will help you with your paper!

Animal Testing Hook Sentence

Your animal testing essay should start with a hook – an opening statement aiming to grab your reader’s attention. A good idea might be to use an impressive fact or statistics connected to experiments on animals:

  • More than 100 million animals are killed in US laboratories each year.
  • Animal Welfare Act (AWA) does not cover 99% animals used in experiments: according to it, rats, birds, reptiles, and fish are not animals.
  • More than 50% adults in the US are against animal testing.

🏆 Best Animal Testing Essay Examples

  • Negative Impacts of Animal Testing In many instances it can be proofed that drugs have been banned from the market after extensive research on animal testing and consuming a lot of cash, because of the dire effects that they cause […]
  • Should Animals Be Used in Medical Research? It is therefore possible to use animals while testing the dangers and the toxicity of new drugs and by so doing; it is possible to protect human beings from the dangers that can emanate from […]
  • Psychoactive Drug Testing on Animals The alterations in behavioral traits of animals due to psychoactive drugs are primarily attributed to the changes in the brain functions or inhibition of certain brain components in animals which ultimately translates to changes in […]
  • Experimentation on Animals However, critics of experimenting with animals argue that animals are subjected to a lot of pain and suffering in the course of coming up with scientific breakthroughs which in the long run may prove futile.
  • Medical Research on Animals Should be Forbidden by Law Vaccines and treatment regimes for various diseases that previously led to the death of humans were all discovered through research on animals.
  • Use of Animals in Biological Testing Thus, these veterinarians have realized that the results that are realized from the animal research are very crucial in the improvement of the health of human being as well as that of animals.
  • Utilitarianism for Animals: Testing and Experimentation There are alternatives in testing drugs such as tissue culture of human cells and hence this is bound to be more accurate in the findings.
  • Animal Testing: Should Animal Testing Be Allowed? — Argumentative Essay It is crucial to agree that animal testing might be unethical phenomenon as argued by some groups; nonetheless, it should continue following its merits and contributions to the humankind in the realms of drug investigations […]
  • Ethical Problems in Animal Experimentation The banning of companies from testing on animals will force the manufacturers to use conventional methods to test their drugs and products.
  • Use of Animals in Research Testing: Ethical Justifications Involved The present paper argues that it is ethically justified to use animals in research settings if the goals of the research process are noble and oriented towards the advancement of human life.
  • Should animals be used for scientific research? Therefore, considering the benefits that have been accrued from research activities due to use of animals in scientific research, I support that animals should be used in scientific research.
  • Animal Testing: Ethical Dilemmas in Business This means that both humans and animals have rights that need to be respected, and that is what brings about the many dilemmas that are experienced in this field.
  • Ethics Problems in Animal Experimentation In spite of the fact that it is possible to find the arguments to support the idea of using animals in experiments, animal experimentation cannot be discussed as the ethical procedure because animals have the […]
  • The Debate on Animal Testing The purpose of this paper is to define animal testing within a historical context, establish ethical and legal issues surrounding the acts, discuss animal liberation movements, arguments in support and against the act of animal […]
  • Effects of Animal Testing and Alternatives Another challenge to the proponents of animal testing is related to dosage and the time line for a study. Animal rights values rebuff the notion that animals should have an importance to human beings in […]
  • Animal Testing: Why It Is Still Being Used The major reason for such “devotion” to animal testing can be explained by the fact that alternative sources of testing are insufficient and too inaccurate to replace conventional way of testing.
  • Cosmetic Testing on Animals The surface of the skin or near the eyes of such animals is meant to simulate that of the average human and, as such, is one of easiest methods of determining whether are particular type […]
  • Genetic Modification and Testing: Ethical Considerations It is done on a molecular level by synthesizing DNA, generating sequences and then inserting the received product into the organism which will be the carrier of the outcome. Another possibility is that the time […]
  • Animal Testing Effects on Psychological Investigation In this context, ethical considerations remain a central theme in psychological research.”Ethics in research refers to the application of moral rules and professional codes of conduct to the collection, analysis, reporting, and publication of information […]
  • Animal Testing: History and Ethics Moreover, in the twelfth century, another Arabic physician, Avenzoar dissected animals and established animal testing experiment in testing surgical processes prior to their application to man. Trevan in 1927 to evaluate the effectiveness of digitalis […]
  • Animal Testing and Ethics I believe it is also difficult to develop efficient legislation on the matter as people have different views on animal research and the line between ethical and unethical is blurred in this area.
  • Animal Testing for Scientific Research Despite the fact that the present-day science makes no secret of the use of animals for research purposes, not many people know what deprivation, pain, and misery those animals have to experience in laboratories.
  • Animal Experiments and Inhuman Treatment Although the results of such a laboratory may bring answers to many questions in medicine, genetics, and other vital spheres, it is frequently a case that the treatment of such animals is inhumane and cruel. […]
  • Animal Testing and Environmental Protection While the proponents of animal use in research argued that the sacrifice of animals’ lives is crucial for advancing the sphere of medicine, the argument this essay will defend relates to the availability of modern […]
  • Animal Testing as an Unnecessary and Atrocious Practice Such acts of violence could be partially excused by the necessity to test medications that are developed to save human lives however, this kind of testing is even more inhumane as it is ineffective in […]
  • Animal Testing: Long and Unpretty History Nevertheless, that law was more focused on the welfare of animals in laboratories rather than on the prohibition of animal testing.
  • Negative Impacts of Animal Testing To alter these inhumane laws, we should organize a social movement aiming at the reconsideration of the role of animals in research and improvement of their positions.
  • Animal Testing from Medical and Ethical Viewpoints Striving to discover and explain the peculiarities of body functioning, already ancient Greeks and Romans resorted to vivisecting pigs; the scientific revolution of the Enlightenment era witnessed animal testing becoming the leading trend and a […]
  • Laboratory Experiments on Animals: Argument Against In some cases, the animals are not given any painkillers because their application may alter the effect of the medication which is investigated.
  • Animal Testing: History and Arguments Nevertheless, that law was more focused on the welfare of animals in laboratories rather than on the prohibition of animal testing.
  • Using Animals in Medical Research and Experiments While discussing the use of animals in medical research according to the consequentialist perspective, it is important to state that humans’ preferences cannot be counted higher to cause animals’ suffering; humans and animals’ preferences need […]
  • Preclinical Testing on Animals The authors argue that despite the recent decline in the level of quality and transparency of preclinical trials, the scientific communities should always rely on animal testing before moving to human subjects and the subsequent […]
  • Animal Testing in Medicine and Industry Animal testing is the inescapable reality of medicine and industry. However, between human suffering and animal suffering, the former is more important.

📌 Good Animal Testing Topics to Research

  • Monkeys Don’t Like Wearing Makeup: Animal Testing In The Cosmetics Industry
  • Animal Testing – Should Animal Experimentation Be Permitted
  • Essay Animal Testing and In Vitro Testing as a Replacement
  • Animal Testing : A Better Knowledge Of Human Body
  • The Importance Of Animal Testing For Evaluating Consumer Safety
  • The Issues on Animal Testing and the Alternative Procedures to Avoid the Use of the Inhuman Experimentation
  • An Alternative to the Harsh and Unnecessary Practices of Animal Testing for Products, Drugs, Chemicals and Other Research
  • The Unethical Use of Animals and the Need to Ban Animal Testing for Medical Research Purposes in the United States
  • An Argument in Favor of Animal Testing for the Purpose of Clinical Research
  • An Argument Against Animal Testing and the Banning of the Practice in the United States
  • The Debate About the Ethics of Animal Testing and Its Effects on Us
  • An Argument in Favor of Animal Testing as Beneficial to Human Health Research
  • Animal Testing and the Reasons Why It Should Be Illegal
  • The Principles of the Animal Testing From the Human Perspective
  • The Ethical Issues on the Practice of Animal Testing to Test Cosmetics and Drugs
  • Stopping Animal Testing and Vivisection by Passing a Bill against Animal Cruelty

🎯 Most Interesting Animal Testing Topics to Write about

  • An Argument Against Animal Testing of Consumer Products and Drugs
  • The Consequences and Unethical Practice of Animal Testing for Medical Training and Experiments
  • How Do The Contributions Of Animal Testing To Global Medical
  • Ways To Improve Animal Welfare After Premising The Animal Testing
  • Animal Testing – Necessary or Barbaric and Wrong?
  • Animal Testing And Its Impact On The Environment
  • Animal Testing and Its Contribution to the Advancement of Medicine
  • Cosmetics and Animal Testing: The Cause of Death and Mistreatment
  • Animal Testing And People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals
  • Animal Rights Activists and the Controversial Issue of Animal Testing
  • A History and the Types of Animal Testing in the Medical Area
  • Argumentation on Medical Benefits of Animal Testing
  • An Analysis of the Concept of Animal Testing Which Lowers the Standard of Human Life
  • Is The Humane Society International Gave For Animal Testing
  • A Discussion of Whether Animal Testing Is Good for Mankind or Violation of Rights
  • The Ethics Of Animal Testing For Vaccine Development And Potential Alternatives
  • The Good and Bad of Human Testing and Animal Testing
  • What Should the Government Do About Animal Testing?
  • Why Does Animal Testing Lower Our Standard of Living?
  • Should Animals Be Used in Research?
  • Why Should Animal Testing Be Accepted in the World?
  • How Does Technology Impact Animal Testing?
  • Why Should Animal Testing Be Illegal?
  • Should Animal Testing Remain Legal?
  • Why Should Animal Testing Be Banned?
  • Can the Animal Testing Done to Find Cures for Diseases Be Humane?
  • Does Animal Testing Really Work?
  • Why Can’t Alternatives Like Computers Replace Research Animals?
  • Should Animal Testing Continue to Test Cures for Human Diseases?
  • How Does Animal Testing Effect Medicine?
  • Should Animal Testing Continue or Be Stopped?
  • What Are Advantages and Disadvantages of Animal Testing?
  • Why Can Animal Testing Save Our Lives?
  • Is Stem Cell Research Beginning of the End of Animal Testing?
  • Do Beauty Products Suffer From Negative Publicity if They Conduct Trials on Animals?
  • Should Medicine Trials Be Conducted?
  • Can Results of Animal Testing Be Generalized to Adults?
  • What Are the Origin and History of Animal Testing?
  • Why Are Animals Needed to Screen Consumer Products for Safety When Products Tested by Alternative Methods, Are Available?
  • How Much Does an Animal Suffer Due to Testing?
  • What Is the Effectiveness of Animal Rights Groups in Stopping Animal Testing?
  • How Do We Learn From Biomedical Research Using Animals?
  • Who Cares for Animals in Research?
  • How Do Laboratory Animal Science Professionals Feel About Their Work?
  • Why Are There Increasing Numbers of Mice, Rats, and Fish Used in Research?
  • How Can We Be Sure Lost or Stolen Pets Are Not Used in Research?
  • Why Do Clinical Trials in Humans Require Prior Animal Testing?
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 9). 105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/animal-testing-essay-examples/

"105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 9 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/animal-testing-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2023) '105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 9 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." November 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/animal-testing-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." November 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/animal-testing-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." November 9, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/animal-testing-essay-examples/.

  • Animal Abuse Research Topics
  • Cruelty to Animals Titles
  • Humanism Research Ideas
  • Animal Ethics Research Ideas
  • Meaning of Life Essay Ideas
  • Animal Rights Research Ideas
  • Cloning Questions
  • Vegetarianism Essay Ideas
  • Animal Welfare Ideas
  • Bioethics Titles
  • Wildlife Ideas
  • Extinction Research Topics
  • Hunting Questions
  • Genetic Engineering Topics
  • Zoo Research Ideas

TED IELTS

  • A Beginner’s Guide to IELTS
  • Common Grammar Mistakes [for IELTS Writing Candidates]

Writing Correction Service

  • Free IELTS Resources
  • Practice Speaking Test

Select Page

Animal Testing Essay

Posted by David S. Wills | Oct 21, 2022 | Model Essays | 0

Animal Testing Essay

There is a wide range of topics used in the IELTS writing test and many of them overlap. Today, we are going to look at a question that falls between the topics of animals and ethics and science. It will require you to write an animal testing essay .

In this article, I will analyse the question for you, give you some pointers on useful language, and then show you my own sample band 9 answer.

The Task: Animal Testing

Here is a question that appeared in the IELTS exam several years ago:

Some people claim that it is acceptable to use animals in medical research for the benefit of human beings, while other people argue that it is wrong. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

(Note that questions can be re-used or re-written, so it is possible that you might see this recycled in the future.)

This is a “discuss both views” question , so your task is ultimately to do three things:

  • Explain why some people think animal testing is acceptable
  • Explain why some people think animal testing is unacceptable
  • Give your opinion

Even if you feel really strongly that it is wrong, for example, you still need to explain the opposing view. You don’t need to give a balanced answer , but you do need to acknowledge both sides of the debate. This is important for Task Response.

Planning your Answer

I almost always write a four-paragraph essay for my sample band 9 answers but today I’m going to write five. It could easily have been four paragraphs but I wanted to separate my anti-animal testing arguments into two separate paragraphs for better organisation. (You can read about 4- vs 5-paragraph essay structures here .)

My essay is going to look like this:

When it comes to a task 2 introduction , please make sure that you have a clear outline sentence and also that your opinion (if one is required) is stated clearly.

Body paragraph 1 will act as a sort of concession paragraph , so it will be imperative that I make it clear that this is not my opinion but rather what some other people think. If I fail to do this, then the reader might be confused.

The ideas in body paragraphs 2 and 3 will be separated but could also have been condensed into two paragraphs. However, I felt that for this topic it was a little more effective to split them. It also made my argument slightly more persuasive.

For the conclusion , I will be careful not to repeat myself too much and instead just summarise and reaffirm my stance.

animal testing essay structure

Language for an Animal Testing Essay

The topic of animal testing is obviously controversial and so people will have different ideas. What you say will be largely based upon your own opinions. However, keep in mind that it covers those three topics I mentioned:

You don’t really need to know a lot about each, but it definitely would have some benefit if you knew a little about these areas and had some good vocabulary to use. I wrote about the IELTS topic of animals here , and there is plenty of good vocabulary that you can borrow. You can also search “animals” in the search bar at the top of the page.

I also recommend that you read and listen on issues that are related to IELTS topics like this. I particularly recommend the SYSK podcast episode on animal testing, which I think it is informative and accessible. You may learn some good language and get some inspiration for what you could write in your own animal testing essay. Other sources include this argument against animal testing by PETA and this one in favour of it by Stanford.

Language for Contentious Issues

In my essay, I will use the following phrases, which could be modified and applied to other contentious issues. I will put the specific language in brackets, so that you could swap it out when discussing other topics:

  • [animal testing] has been fiercely debated due to the ethical problems inherent in this area of [science]
  • The people who believe that [animal testing] is necessary tend to say…
  • this is wrong for several reasons
  • [animal testing] is not as helpful in [developing medicines] as people think
  • There are many other reasons why [experimenting with animals] is wrong
  • it is grossly unethical to [subject these creatures to painful and demeaning experiences]
  • people may argue that there are benefits that come from [experimenting on animals], but in fact there is no good reason to continue doing this

You can try using and modifying these phrases in your own practice essays. If you want an expert to correct them for you, try my IELTS writing correction service .

Language about Animal Testing

The following phrases will also appear in my essay and can be used for talking about animal testing:

  • this area of science
  • animal testing should be banned
  • testing medicines before using them on human beings
  • figure out the cures to many serious illnesses
  • Medicines that work on animals do not always work on humans
  • if scientists give a mouse diabetes and then try various drugs to cure the problem
  • subject these creatures to painful and demeaning experiences
  • They are sentient beings
  • subjected to cruel and often unnecessary experiments
  • harmful both to humans and animals

It is also important to avoid repetition and that means finding ways to say “animal testing” without repeating the say words over and over. You could say:

  • testing on animals
  • experimenting on animals
  • subjecting animals to medical experiments
  • using animals in experiments

Again, it would be helpful to read articles and listen to podcasts on this topic in order to improve your vocabulary.

Sample Band 9 Answer

Over the past few decades, animal testing has been fiercely debated due to the ethical problems inherent in this area of science. This essay will look at both sides of the debate, before concluding that animal testing should be banned.

The people who believe that animal testing is necessary tend to say that there are serious benefits to humanity, such as testing medicines before using them on human beings. They believe that this will help to figure out the cures to many serious illnesses, which will make the world a better place for humans. However, this is wrong for several reasons.

Firstly, animal testing is not as helpful in developing medicines as people think. Medicines that work on animals do not always work on humans, and vice versa. As such, these trials are not just unnecessary but also profoundly unhelpful. For example, if scientists give a mouse diabetes and then try various drugs to cure the problem, they may find that there are twelve drugs that do not work on the mouse. However, maybe one of those drugs would have worked on a human. As such, animal testing would have caused more problems than it solved.

There are many other reasons why experimenting with animals is wrong. Perhaps most importantly, it is grossly unethical to subject these creatures to painful and demeaning experiences for the benefit of humanity. Animals do not exist for the benefit of people. They are sentient beings that deserve better than to be caged and subjected to cruel and often unnecessary experiments.

In conclusion, people may argue that there are benefits that come from experimenting on animals, but in fact there is no good reason to continue doing this. At best, these experiments are useless and at worst they are unethical and harmful both to humans and animals.

Final Notes

You can see that I have carefully crafted an argument that is strong. You may not agree with it, but it is hard to deny my points, which makes it effective in terms of Task Response. The structure is also solid and the ideas were well connected, making it very good in terms of Coherence and Cohesion . Note the inclusion of realistic and interesting ideas as well as concrete examples. My explanation of testing on mice was particularly effective here. It is better than giving some vague or unexplained idea.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

Related Posts

Dress Code [IELTS Model Answer]

Dress Code [IELTS Model Answer]

December 1, 2023

Process Diagram from IELTS 16 [Sugar Cane]

Process Diagram from IELTS 16 [Sugar Cane]

April 4, 2022

IELTS 17 Sample Answer: Industrial Area (Norbiton)

IELTS 17 Sample Answer: Industrial Area (Norbiton)

May 15, 2023

Sports Facilities: Discuss Both Views [Sample Answer]

Sports Facilities: Discuss Both Views [Sample Answer]

June 27, 2020

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Download my IELTS Books

books about ielts writing

Recent Posts

  • Airport Vocabulary
  • How to Put Examples in an IELTS Essay
  • Taking Up A New Sport [Sample IELTS Letter]
  • Pluralisation: An Essential Grammar Guide
  • Content or Contents?

ielts writing correction service

Recent Comments

  • tufail khan on IELTS Discussion Essays [Discuss Both Views/Sides]
  • David S. Wills on The Dangers of Relying on Technology [Sample Answer]
  • Anh Nguyen Duc on The Dangers of Relying on Technology [Sample Answer]
  • nandhu on IELTS Speaking Partners
  • Le thi ngoc on Best (Legally) Free IELTS Ebooks
  • Lesson Plans
  • Model Essays
  • TED Video Lessons
  • Weekly Roundup

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Animal Testing — Should Animal Testing Be Banned: A Comprehensive Analysis

test_template

Should Animal Testing Be Banned: a Comprehensive Analysis

  • Categories: Animal Rights Animal Testing

About this sample

close

Words: 616 |

Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 616 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Arguments for banning animal testing, arguments against banning animal testing, striking a balance, 1. ethical considerations, 2. ineffectiveness and unreliability, 3. advances in alternative methods, 1. scientific progress, 2. lack of viable alternatives, 3. benefits for human health, 1. ethical guidelines, 2. investment in alternatives, 3. transparency and accountability.

Image of Dr. Oliver Johnson

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

author

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

  • Expert in: Social Issues

writer

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 642 words

1 pages / 599 words

6 pages / 2522 words

1 pages / 380 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Animal Testing

Animal testing has been a common practice in scientific research and testing for decades. The use of animals, however, remains a highly controversial issue. Animal Research: The Ethics of Animal Experimentation. [...]

Animal research has long been a contentious issue, with proponents touting its benefits to scientific progress and detractors decrying its ethical implications. This essay explores both sides of the debate and offers a [...]

Animal rights have become a pressing topic in modern-day society due to the increased awareness of animal welfare and ethical responsibilities. The concept of animal rights involves the recognition of animals as sentient beings [...]

Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, is the use of non-human animals for scientific research purposes. It involves subjecting animals to various procedures, such as surgical operations, injections, and exposure [...]

Balls, M., & Fabre, I. (2019). Alternatives to Animal Testing: A Review. European Pharmaceutical Review, 24(6), 29-33.Ekwall, B. (2000). The Multicentre Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxicity (MEIC) Programme: A Model for [...]

Animal testing is a debated issue over the previous decades. Animal testing in simple words is the use of animals in researches in order to determine the safety of various products such as foods, drugs and cosmetics. People have [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

  • Instructions Followed To The Letter
  • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
  • Unique And Plagiarism Free

essay on is animal testing necessary

ipl-logo

Is Animal Testing Necessary Essay

Is Animal Testing Necessary Yes, we use animals for advancing our medical studies, but we have no right to waste an animal’s life by doing badly designed and poorly carried out experiments on a living thing. The effects of animal testing is leaving it blinded, toxicity, death, and more. Lab personnels often lack experience which causes great pain to an animal . Think about this. If you were an animal in a lab just waiting in a cage just to get tested on, how would you feel. Animals mostly suffer in day to day laboratory life. According to Natural News, “Spending most of their lives in barren cages, with a limited amount of food and water. They also suffer from infants taken away from their mothers and repeated breeding. These animals mostly die before they get experimented on.” The most commonly used animal is a mouse or rat. Rats are a very important because they feast and get rid of dead bodies. They also keep the number of bugs down like slugs which is helpful for agriculture. If laboratory life isn't bad enough, the animal is immobilized. The act of xenotransplantation involve the areas of the neck, head, or the whole body. Xenotransplantation is where scientists extract cells or tissues from one animal, and place them in another animal. Most of these actions failed. …show more content…

What are the benefits of the things we produced with animal testing? For example makeup. Most people use makeup. Using makeup can increase the chances of acne. How does this benefit us? According to PETA, “Animal testing produce drugs too. 92% of drugs passed by animal tests immediately failed when first tried on a human because the drug was dangerous or unneeded.” Animal experiments extend the duration of the suffering of people, waiting for effective cures by misleading experimenters. This wastes money, time, and resources that could have been spent on human relevant research. People are wasting animal lives for unneeded drugs or

Click here to unlock this and over one million essays

Animal Testing Beneficial Essay

Animals are subjected to excruciating experiments daily. Countries such as Israel and India have stopped animal testing as well as Britain. “…countless animals are experimented on and then killed…” (Murnaghan 1). Animals are subjected to confined rooms all of their lives, used in painful experiments and then disposed of as if they are an inanimate object.

Animal Testing Essay

These animals are abused in laboratories and are left to suffer with no way of relief. Most animals are put into small cages with little room to move and are forced to suffer alone in isolation. These animals are often traumatized and flinch at sudden noises and movements. Video footage can be found showing animals cowering in fear when someone walks by their cage. They are traumatized by the abuse they are forced to endure and from having to watch other animals being abused and even killed right in front of them (Cruelty).

Animal Testing Persuasive Essay

The fact of the matter can be stated in the most simple words, animal testing doesn’t give sufficient information for human matters. According to Cruelty Free International, only 6% of the 4,300 international companies involved in drug development has registered a new drug with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 1950. Which would mean

Animal Testing In Medical Research

Henceforth, as animal testing increased, so did the controversy surrounding it (“Animal testing,” n.d.). Moreover, with the help of animal testing, various treatments and medicines are developed for unconventional diseases. Although animal testing may seem ruthless, animals are used for experimental research that contributes to science if there are no other possible substitutes. Animal testing is a debatable topic that still continues to be one until this time. Animal experimentation should persist because it saves human’s life from diseases, ensures cosmetics’ safety, and improves medical

Should Animal Testing Be Allowed Essay

Should Animal Testing be Allowed? Animal testing has been a controversial issue for a long time now. Whether or not animal testing is humane or not, both sides of the argument are hard to choose from . On one hand you have the possibility of curing diseases, saving lives, and helping the human race. On the other hand you have the lives of many innocent animals who are being injected, probed, caged and mistreated for just facts.

Animal Testing Is Wrong Essay

They experience and feel pain just like people do. When the animals are used for laboratory research they are subjected to painful and frequently deadly experiments. Some of the most common tests they are used for are the LD50 test and the Draize test. Both are infamous for the unimaginable pain and suffering they inflict upon experimental animals.

Should Animal Testing Be Illegal Essay

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a clinical trial of Hepatitis B drug fialuridine had to be stopped because it caused severe liver damage in seven patients, five of whom died. It had been tested on animals first. The multiple claims of medicine tested on animals bringing harm to the very people it was designed to help shows that testing on animals poses a threat to not just animals, but humans as well. It 's a moot point to bring suffering to a living being if the reasoning behind the harm is

Is Animal Testing Right Or Wrong Essay

Sadly, these animals are treated as nothing more than disposable lab equipment. It is both inhumane and unnecessary to end these animals' lives for the sake of unreliable experiments. There are many ways that animals are used by scientists in testing. The article Animal Research, Right or Wrong?, states that "scientists inject animals with experimental drugs to see how effectively they treat AIDS, cancer, and hundreds of other diseases. "The problem is that animals and humans differ biologically, so accurate results cannot be obtained.

Persuasive Essay On Animal Testing

Since animal testing is cruel, inhumane, and alternative testing methods now exist, we should discontinue animal testing once and for all. For these reasons, animals should not be used in research or to test the safety of human products. To begin with, animal testing is cruel, inhumane and it violates animals’ rights. The USDA reported that in 2016, 71,370 animals suffered pain during experiments while being given no anesthesia at all for relief.

Pro Animal Testing Essay

The first reson animal testing should be continued is so we can make new cures shore new medicines are safe. Without animal testing some medicines would have harmed humans. Animal testing is a much safer way to test these medicines before they reach humans. Animal testing has also led to some breakthroughs in medical science. Animal testing is also helping with finding some cures to Cancer and Alzheimer 's. Smith said “if animal research were prohibited, scientific advances would be hopelessly stymied” (smith).

Many people have different ideas on animal testing and if it is or is not appropriate for medical research. Many disagree, but there are some that think it’s necessary for testing to be done. Animal testing is necessary because it helps develop life saving medical treatments for not only humans, but animals, and it helps determine how medicine will react to the human body. Animal testing is appropriate for medical research because testing helps develop life saving medical treatments for humans. Without testing, scientist wouldn’t have found ways to help people with breast cancer or childhood Leukemia.

Should Animals Be Used For Scientific Testing

According to crueltyfreeinternational.org, “90% of drugs fail in human trials despite promising results in animal tests - whether on safety grounds or because they do not work.” This means that the majority of the results that scientists get are useless. These results only work on animals and not humans, in which the tests were meant for. It is completely and utterly useless to test animals for the benefit of humans, if the conclusions that scientists get do not benefit humans.

Essay On Why Animal Testing Is Necessary

Animals Testing Is animal testing necessary?. Should we ban expending animals in medical research or not?. More than 26 million animals are used in different countries like the United States and Canada. Animal testing may by defining as the use of animals in experiments and research that seeks to control the variable that impacts the behavior or biological system under study. Using large number of animals is mainly meant to find treatments and cure for certain diseases.

Animal Testing Subject Essay

However, animals are not test subject because animals lose their life by these tests and animals suffer a lot in these experiments. One main reason for this argument is that animals lose their life by these tests. Because of using animals as a subject for scientists tests animals cannot survive from death. People should not kill animals because their research. They are also souls like human they deserve to live.

Animal Testing Is Inhumane Essay

Animal Testing is Inhumane. Multiple species are dying by normal nature happenings, such as being eaten or something like that. However, that 's just the life cycle. But even with this ongoing cycle, the deaths that happen in it don 't get anywhere close to the amount of animals killed by us humans. Each year, 100 million animals, including mice, rats, dogs, frogs, cats, and more, are all killed for scientific usage.

More about Is Animal Testing Necessary Essay

Related topics.

  • The Animals

IMAGES

  1. Argumentative Essay Analysis: Animal Testing by Educate-Captivate-Inspire

    essay on is animal testing necessary

  2. Why Animal Testing Is Necessary and How to Reduce It

    essay on is animal testing necessary

  3. ⇉Animal Testing and its harmful effects Essay Example

    essay on is animal testing necessary

  4. Is Animal Testing Really Necessary Free Essay Example

    essay on is animal testing necessary

  5. Animal Testing Speech/Essay

    essay on is animal testing necessary

  6. Animal Testing Essay Pack by Elizabeth Kim

    essay on is animal testing necessary

COMMENTS

  1. WHY ANIMAL RESEARCH?

    It is important to stress that 95% of all animals necessary for biomedical research in the United States are rodents - rats and mice especially bred for laboratory use - and that animals are only one part of the larger process of biomedical research.

  2. Is Animal Testing Ever Justified?

    215 The E.P.A. aims to reduce the amount of studies that involve mammal testing by 30 percent by 2025. Getty Images By Natalie Proulx Oct. 1, 2019 Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

  3. Animal Testing

    Pro 1 Animal testing contributes to life-saving cures and treatments for humans and animals alike. Nearly every medical breakthrough in the last 100 years has resulted directly from research using animals, according to the California Biomedical Research Association.

  4. The Importance of Animal Testing in Biomedical Research

    The contributions made by these animals and other species help researchers answer questions of biological uncertainty and are necessary and critical to the advancement of both human and animal health. Other very important aids include mathematical modeling, database analysis, computer simulations and in vitro models, such as cell and tissue ...

  5. Ethical considerations regarding animal experimentation

    Animal experimentation is widely used around the world for the identification of the root causes of various diseases in humans and animals and for exploring treatment options. Among the several animal species, rats, mice and purpose-bred birds comprise almost 90% of the animals that are used for research purpose.

  6. Is animal testing necessary to advance medical research?

    Absolutely! The human body - indeed most living systems - is extremely complex. This. complexity and intricacy is precisely why animals are not good models for human medicine. Humans differ from other animals anatomically, genetically and metabolically, meaning data derived from animals cannot be extrapolated to humans with sufficient accuracy.

  7. Animal Testing: Should Animal Testing Be Allowed?

    Animal testing denotes the use of animals in medical experiments to unveil the potency, safety, toxicity, and viability of developed drugs. Concurrently, the phenomenon also applies to other biological experiments, which utilize animals as specimens.

  8. The Flaws and Human Harms of Animal Experimentation

    Introduction. Annually, more than 115 million animals are used worldwide in experimentation or to supply the biomedical industry. 1 Nonhuman animal (hereafter "animal") experimentation falls under two categories: basic (i.e., investigation of basic biology and human disease) and applied (i.e., drug research and development and toxicity and safety testing).

  9. Using animals for scientific research is still indispensable for

    Based on decades of doing research on the human brain, which involves using animals, to us it's clear that - for the foreseeable future - there remains a crucial need for animal models to...

  10. Bioethics: a look at animal testing in medicine and cosmetics in the UK

    Animals play an important role in testing human drugs as they have a large number of medical reactions similar to those of human beings. Specifically, animals such as dogs, mice and rabbits have an identical DNA that cannot be replicated through artificial models. Public concern for the increasing use of animals in terms of ethics and safety ...

  11. Animal Testing Essays

    Essay topics General Overview 45 essay samples found 1 Animal Testing: a Necessary Evil? 2 pages / 860 words Introduction Animal testing has been performed since ancient times, and today it remains a controversial and sensitive issue.

  12. Discussion Whether Animals Testing is Necessary

    Good Read Review Introduction: Animal testing is a debated issue over the previous decades. Animal testing in simple words is the use of animals in researches in order to determine the safety of various products such as foods, drugs and cosmetics.

  13. Animal Testing Essay : A Definitive Writing Guide + Topics

    Also known as in-vivo, animal experimentation, or animal research, animal testing entails using animals in different levels of experiments to investigate the reactions, performance, and potency of various medications, drugs, cosmetic products, and foods.

  14. The Debate on Animal Testing

    Animal testing is described as a procedure involving vivisection and/or In vivo testing of animals for experimentation or research. In the pursuit of what is known as scientific progress, animals have fallen victims of distress in the process. We will write a custom essay on your topic 809 writers online Learn More

  15. IELTS Animal Testing Essay

    Write at least 250 words. Animals Testing Essay - Model Answer Issues related to animal experimentation are frequently discussed these days, particularly in the media. It is often said that animals should not be used in testing because it is cruel and unnecessary. This essay will examine the arguments for and against animal testing.

  16. Animal Testing Argumentative Essay Writing Guide

    An animal testing argumentative essay always mentions the benefit of reducing the number of errors and fatal mistakes owing to a round of tests on animals. It also mentions that the number of saved people's lives is enormous owing to the sacrificed lives of animals. Actually, there is hardly any effective alternative to animal testing.

  17. Animal Testing and Medicine

    Animal Testing and Medicine. "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.". Animals have been used repeatedly throughout the history of biomedical research. Early Greek physician-scientists, such as Aristotle, (384 - 322 BC) and Erasistratus, (304 - 258 BC), performed experiments on ...

  18. 105 Animal Testing Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

    Essays on animal testing are important because they highlight the significance of the problem. Writing outstanding animal testing essays requires extensive research and dedication. We have prepared some do's and don'ts for your excellent essay. But first, you should select a topic for your paper.

  19. Animal Testing Essay

    Animal Testing Essay. There is a wide range of topics used in the IELTS writing test and many of them overlap. Today, we are going to look at a question that falls between the topics of animals and ethics and science. It will require you to write an animal testing essay. In this article, I will analyse the question for you, give you some ...

  20. Is Animal Testing Necessary Essay

    Animal testing is necessary because it helps develop life saving medical treatments for not only humans, but animals, and it helps determine how medicine will react to the human body. Animal testing is appropriate for medical research because testing helps develop life saving medical treatments for humans.

  21. Should Animal Testing Be Banned: a Comprehensive Analysis

    1. Scientific Progress Animal testing has played a crucial role in numerous medical breakthroughs, including the development of vaccines, treatments for diseases like diabetes and cancer, and surgical procedures. Proponents contend that without animal testing, many scientific advancements would not have been possible. 2. Lack of Viable Alternatives

  22. Is Animal Testing Really Necessary Free Essay Example

    1289 Animal testing is a phrase that most people have heard but are perhaps still unsure of exactly what is involved. Whether it is referred to as animal testing, animal experimentation or animal research, it means the experimentation carried out on animals. Experimental animal testing has been one of the highest debated issues for many years.

  23. Is Animal Testing Necessary Essay

    543 Words3 Pages Is Animal Testing Necessary Yes, we use animals for advancing our medical studies, but we have no right to waste an animal's life by doing badly designed and poorly carried out experiments on a living thing. The effects of animal testing is leaving it blinded, toxicity, death, and more.