Should animal testing be legal?

Resource type: this resource is a wikidebate.

Subject classification: this is a medicine resource.

Subject classification: this is a law learning projects resource.

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We have made several important medical discoveries due to animal testing but is it morally correct? Do the means justify the ends when we cause suffering and death to non-human animals? We usually value human life above all others but are there any limits on what costs are worth the benefits to us?

By animal testing we mean experimentation with non-human animals for the purpose of scientific research.

Animal testing should be legal

• Argument Animal testing helps researchers find cures and treatments for human and non-human diseases. As humans we should value other humans above animals and reduce harm to humans.

Animal testing should be illegal

• Argument Animals are not mere objects for humans to treat as we will, they do not and cannot consent to participate in experiments in which they may suffer and die, and we have no right to force this on them.
  • Objection Why not?
  • Objection Why can't they consent? They don't have language.
• Argument Using animals as a model for diseases or drug responses in humans can be unreliable, leading to experiments that cause animal suffering without helpful results to justify them.

See also

• Should we go vegan?