The Hidden Cost Of Progress

The importance of science in our lives cannot be overemphasized. Thanks to its benefits, humans have been able to battle different types of diseases and infections. Humanity has come a long way. Before technology advanced, humans treated wounds and diseases with herbs. However, herbs are not an efficient method for combating these diseases. With the advent of antibiotics and other types of medicine and injections, humans have been able to save more lives. Taking a closer look, there is a dark side to the creation of these medicines. Have you ever wondered how drugs are created? Well, thanks to the movies I have watched (and stories from friends), I have gotten to know that before drugs are given to humans and put up for sale, numerous researches are carried out and these drugs are tested on animals like rats and Guinea pigs to make sure they are safe for humans.

Now, the big question is that is it ethical that animals have to be tested for the sake of humanity. Is this fair to the poor animals? I have once thought about this question. Do these animals go through excruciating pain during research? Of course, some of them will end up dying in the process. Is there another alternative to use instead of making these animals suffer? There are so many questions. I also thought about plants. If scientists could use plants instead of animals. But isn’t it the same? Aren’t we making plants suffer in the process? Wouldn’t that come back to hurt and haunt our environment? I also found out that plants and humans are biologically distinct. Unlike humans, plants don’t have circulatory and other systems. So using them instead of animals is just out of the picture.

The debate about using animals for testing will keep going on and on without any end. Science has come a long way to stop now. This argument is similar to the ones about vegans. Many people (vegans) are against the idea of consuming animals. You see them carrying play cards and going on protests about why it is unfair and why it should be illegal to eat animals. Many of them have written articles and made videos to support their beliefs. Now, they are forcing people, shoving it down our throats to accept to be like them. I wonder what their take will be on this subject. Will they grow with the notion that animals shouldn’t be used for testing?

In my opinion, using animals for scientific research is another part of life that must be accepted. Humanity must progress. Using these animals for testing has contributed significantly to the growth of humanity. Imagine if humans were used for testing rather than animals. Instead of testing the drugs on lab rats and Guinea pigs, they should be tested on humans. Let's use this scenario as a case study: a man battling cancer and a group of scientists. The group of scientists has come up with a drug that hasn't been tested on any animals. On the day of the experiment, the drug is administered to the man. Unfortunately for him, he dies immediately, with blood gushing out of his mouth and nose. Then, the scientists simply continue with their research, and after they're done, they say, "Bring another human for testing this new drug." Do you think this is a better alternative? It will only be a matter of time before humanity is eradicated.

Using animals for scientific purposes helps these scientists help to make sure that drugs and treatments are safe, reducing the risk of harming humans. Again, this is a part of life that should be accepted. I’m not sure if there are other alternatives, but this one is probably the most effective.

Thanks for reading.