Topic: Use of Animals in Medical and Scientific Research.
General Purpose. To Argue
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"Argumentative Exercise".
Specific Purpose: Argue that animals should be used in medical testing and for scientific research because (1) this testing has been proven to lead to the development of new drugs, (2) this testing leads to the a better understanding of existing diseases and can therefore lead to new drugs in the future, (3) There is no good argument against testing on animals when one considers the beneficial effect that this testing has on humans on society.
Introduction
I. [Attention Getter] Think about the people that you love most in the world.
A. Have they ever been seriously ill or do you think that might be in the future.
B. If they were then would you want them to access to to the possible treatments for their condition?
II. [Topic Justification / Establish Controversy] Over 40,800 women will die in America this year from breast caner. (AMP, 2014.)
A. Doctors and scientists are constantly looking for new ways to treat diseases such as cancer and to reduce the effect which they have on people.
B. Some say that cures of disease should never come from animal testing.
C. Others, including myself, say that animal testing is a vital and important part of scientific research.
1. Animal testing is defined as the “use of animals in experiments and development projects.” (Biology Online, 2014.)
2. The use of animals in testing is a old as science itself.
III. [Speaker Credibility] Several people that I know whom I know have suffered from life threatening diseases.
A. They received successful treatment thanks to drugs which were recently developed.
B. These drugs could not have been developed without testing on animals.
C. These people may not be alive today were it now for the treatments used.
IV. [Preview of Main Ideas] Animal testing should be used to further medical research for the following three reasons.
A. Animal testing has been proven to lead to the development of effective cures and treatment.
B. Animal testing provides to the potential to learn about certain conditions and to lead to cures in the future.
Finally, despite what some people say, significant legislation already exist in order to ensure that animal testing is conducted as humanely as possible.
Transition: We should use animal testing in order to further scientific advances and to help medical science as well. Let’s look the best reason to agree with this which is outlined in my first argument.
Body
[Constructive Argument] Animal testing leads to the development of treatments which have been proven to be effective in saving and improving the quality of many people’s lives.
A. To begin with, animal testing is proven to work.
1. Americans for Medical Progress note that new drugs developed from animal testing have led to 50 to 60% rise in the survival rate for cancer since 1975. (AMP, 2014.)
2. These drugs have led to an astounding 10% increase in life expectancy across the whole of the United States. (AMP, 2014.)
3.The survival rate for childhood leukaemia has risen from 4% to 80% thanks to drugs developed through animal testing. (AMP, 2014.)
Summary: Animal testing should continue because it has already led to the great advances in medical science and in the development of treatments. This is shown to be statistically true by looking at the increases in survival rate for various form of cancer since 1975 and in life expectancy overall.
[Second Constructive Argument] Animal testing contains to the potential to develop further understanding about diseases and therefore to lead to better cures and treatments in the future.
A. Scientists use test on animals to determine how diseases are transmitted, to understand them better and develop vaccinations which can lead to their prevention.
Americans for Medical Progress state that More than 9,000 children currently live with HIV and AIDS as a result of the transmission of the disease from mother to child. (AMP, 2014)
It is of vital concern to science to understand how this transmission takes place and to understand how to prevent it.
Current research is being conducted in on rats in order to determine precisely this fact and it is likely that this research may lead to preventative treatments within the next decade. (AMP, 2014.)
B. Animal testing is also being used to better understand diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other non fatal but often life-ruining conditions. The organisations which support people who suffer from the disease insist that it vital to their work.
Parkinson’s UK argue that there is a vital need ‘to continue animal testing’ as a part of their research. (Parkinson’s UK, 2014.)
The Alzheimer’s society argue that the ‘There are difficult ethical judgements to be made over the use of animals in medical research, but there is no doubt that the use of animals continues to be essential in some areas of research if people are to benefit from healthcare advances.’ (Alzheimer’s Society, 2014.)
Internal Summary: Animal testing should be utilised by science because it can be used to develop better cures and understanding of non-lethal but life destroying diseases. The organisations which exist in order to support the sufferers of these diseases and their families insists that animal testing is of vital and necessary importance to their work in the present and in the future.
III. [Refutative Argument] Despite the beliefs of many, much care is taken in the world of animal testing to ensure that research is carried out according to strict guidelines which ensure that no unnecessary suffering is inflicted on animals in the laboratory and that they are not abused in the setting in which they are placed.
A. [Differentiation] Animal testing is not simply an exercise in sadism. It has takes place according to strict moral and ethical guidelines.
B. [Turn the Tables] It is surely better that test are conducted on animals such as rats or monkey than that they are conducted on human beings.
1.All medical treatments have to pass through several stages of testing and certification before they can be made available to the public. (FDA, 2014.) The final stages of this process to test on human volunteers. However, before this can be done then it is essential that tests are conducted on animals.
2.Animal testing is necessary in order to ensure the safety of human volunteers who will be the final line of testing before a new drug is released into the market.
3.Successful animal testing allows for drugs to be refined and tested further, as they inspire confidence in the drug and allow it to reach the people who need it quicker and more effectively.
C. [Turn the Tables] The benefits of animal testing often extends to animals themselves, and those who are used for tested are treated humanely.
1. The Journal ‘Science Medicine and Animals’ state that human vaccinations ‘developed through animal testing are now routinely used to vaccinate cattle and other animals against fatal and debilitating diseases. (Science, Medicine and Animals, 1991.)
2.Legislation exists in Europe and America to make sure that animals are treated humanely in the testing lab. (EU, 2014.)
3.The only alternative to animal testing is to either test untried drugs and treatments on people or it is to cease vital medical research. Understanding Animal Research argues that there is ‘simply no alternative to animal research in present medical science.’ (UAR, 2014.)
D.[Impact] Animal helps to save and improve the lives of both humans and animals. It is highly effective form of research and should be allowed to continue.
Conclusion
[Restatement/ summary of main ideas] In summary, I have discussed three reasons why animal testing is justified and why it should continue.
A. First, animal testing has led to significant advances in treatments over the last twenty five years
B. Second, animal testing is a vital part of ongoing research into existing diseases.
C.Thirdly, animal testing is conducted according to humane guidelines and represents the only alternative to testing entirely drugs on people.
- “The Use of Animals in Research.” Alzheimer’s Society. Web. 14 March 2014.
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=433 - “Animal Research Means Medical Progress.” Americans for Medical Progress. Web. 14 March. 2014.
http://www.amprogress.org/animal-research-benefits - “Animal Testing.” Biology Online. Web. 14 March. 2014.
http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Animal_testing - “Animal Research and Parkinson’s – Policy Statement.” Parkinson’s UK. Web. 14 March.
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/content/animal-research-and-parkinsons-policy-statement
