Animal experimentation

The controversy of the use of animals in scientific experimentation is a

very discussed topic, which has been active almost all of human
history, clearly, these are bitter controversies. Since 5th and 4th
centuries, Hippocrates and his followers contains studies of animal
anatomy, demonstrating that they were already used in those times to
advance scientific knowledge. At the same time, Pythagoras proposed
that animals and humans are equipped with the same type of ‘soul’,
thus making them worthy of respect and protection. That is where the
controversy over animal experimentation is born, basically, people
never disagree in some aspects, so people against and in favor seems
to agree on premises; Animals are sentient beings, they suffer just like
us. So the ideal objective would be to arrive to almost total
replacement of its use in research. From that point, opinions differ as to
whether this objective is really achievable in the short or medium term.

At present, it isn’t only possible to prevent smallpox or polio with

vaccines, which until recently destroyed the lives of thousands of
people like the covid-19 is doing currently. Actually, drugs such as
TAMOXIFEN or IMANITIB managed to reduce cancer mortality and
drug combinations have saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of
people infected with HIV even other diseases. Much of these advances
would have been impossible without the use of animal models (animal
experimentation).

On the other hand, there is a growing movement of health

professionals, including doctors and scientists, and educated citizens
who oppose experimentation with animals for only medical and
scientific reasons, they just don’t support what other say. They claim
that animal research is based on a misconception: that the results
obtained from non-human animals can be applied to the human body.
The reactions of animals to drugs, vaccines and experiments not only
differ from those of humans, but differ from species to species. Clearly,
disregarding this profound difference has been and remains a high cost
for human health.