by Casey from Canyon Del Oro High School

Animal testing has been extremely beneficial. Scientists have made many breakthroughs in medicine thanks to biomedical research using animals. Anesthesia was developed, insulin was discovered, penicillin was developed, DNA was discovered, open heart surgery and cardiac pacemakers were developed, tranquilizers were discovered, scientists are closing in on the factors of breast cancer, a vaccine for polio was developed, smallpox was eradicated, chemotherapy, kidney dialysis, cataract surgery, and photo therapy were developed, advances were made in surgical techniques, gene therapy for cystic fibrosis, and organ transplants, and cures were found for more than 200 diseases in animals. Although animal rights activists claim that animal testing is unethical and cruel, most animals experience no pain at all: "According of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most animals no or only minimal pain or brief discomfort in research. Nearly all research, approximately 94%, either does not involve pain or uses analgesics or anesthesia" (ampef.org). Animal testing is not only very advantageous to humans and animals, but the vast majority of the time is not painful for the animals used in research. The animals are treated humanely and compassionately. We all benefit from biomedical research using animals.

Biomedical research has touched me personally through my great aunt Betty. She is a delightful lady who might not be alive today if it wasn’t for animal testing. About a year ago Betty was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had the cancer surgically removed and then went through chemotherapy. She is now cancer-free and happy. Recently she celebrated her 80^th birthday. My aunt Betty probably wouldn’t have survived if she hadn’t undergone chemotherapy.

Without animal testing, we probably wouldn’t have chemotherapy. Animal testing has been integral to the development of drugs to fight cancer and the understanding of cancer. According to the Foundation for Biomedical Research, "the three traditional approaches to curing cancer have been surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Animal studies have made, and continue to make, invaluable contributions to our understanding of all cancers in general. Anti-cancer drugs are tested on several species before the proper dosage and side effects can be determined so they can be used safely in humans" (fbresearch.org). Without animal testing, our understanding of cancer would be so much more limited and it would be much more difficult to develop anti-cancer drugs.

Thanks to biomedical research using animals, many cancer mortality rates have dropped and many rates of occurrence have dropped as well. Since 1973, ovarian cancer’s mortality rate has decreased by 13% and the incidence has decreased by 1.1 percent. Fewer people are being diagnosed with ovarian cancer and fewer people are dying from it. Through continued biomedical research, we may one day find a cure for cancer. Animal testing has saved the life of someone very dear to me, and has affected the lives of countless others. Biomedical research using animals has affected us all, humans and animals alike. It holds much hope and promise for the future and will continue to save our lives.

Follow Up Essay  by Casey, Internship completed at University of Arizona

I had a wonderful time working in the lab! My internship was a great experience. I learned about DNA, RNA, and transcription and other concepts of biology. I did not just wash test tubes or clean up, but assisted in experiments and even did some on my own. I felt like my work was important. I isolated DNA, RNA, and cDNA, cultured cells, ran agrose gels for gel electrophoresis, and did many other interesting things. I got to see first-hand a real world, modern lab. Everyone I worked with was kind and intelligent. Dr. Selmin, Tricia, and Francoise taught me many laboratory skills and were a pleasure to work with. They were patient, explaining to me the significance of the experiments and their results. I thank them and SwAEBR for giving me the opportunity to have such a memorable and unique learning experience. I leave my internship with a greater knowledge of laboratory science, biology, the importance of animals in research, and myself.

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