Should animal testing be banned?

Hayley Martinelli Extended project qualification

How long can scientists continue animal testing ?

• Animal testing dates back to the 3rd and 4th centuries, with Aristotle performing one of the very first experiments on animals.

• Now, In the UK, there were nearly three million experiments on live animals in 2002

• But, as new technologies are being discovered, how long can scientists justify there reasons for animal testing ?

Evolutionary theory

• Charles Darwin believed species changed over time and space .…

• His theory suggested animals could be used to model humans for research into biology and other advancements . . . . .

The classical conditioning theory

• Ivan went further to support Darwin's research

• He conducted a psychological experiment on dogs

• This resulted in the theory about how behaviour is learnt

What about the previous disasters surrounding animal testing ?

• Thalidomide – 1953, German company produced a drug to treats morning sickness in pregnant women

• Drug was NOT tested on pregnant animals

• Children in 46 countries were born with birth defects

• The drug was eventually withdrawn in 1961

• Still used today

Rosie Moriarty-Simmonds• Victim in the Thalidomide disaster• Author of 4 fingers and 13 toes• Lived ordinary life despite her disability • Contacted via E-mail, happy to answer questions• Rosie sits on the ‘bench’ in this debate

• ‘I don't like the idea of animals being used to test things like cosmetic make up, washing powder, alcohol and so on’

• ‘Consequently, I feel that there is still a necessity to use animals for testing purposes in relation to medical research.’

Other speakers

• Mel Broughton is anti-animal testing

• She runs the SPEAK campaign and runs numerous petitions requesting animal testing is stopped In oxford

• Alastair Buchan is head of medical sciences at oxford

• He believes animal testing is vital and beneficial to medical research

• These two people were contacted via e-mail and letters, asking for their personal view on the debate itself, they said . . . . . .

NOTHING !!!The emails and letters I sent both parties were ignored, which was a

huge problem when researching the project !

Alternative method

Artificial human skin cells, the procedure

Is there another way to test medicines instead of animal

testing ?

What does society think ?

Questionnaire

• Handed out a questionnaire I came up with

• 50% of people improved since 1950’s

• 60% ok testing for vaccines and diseases

• 35% Tests unnecessary

• What does this really mean ?

Future of animal testing

• New Law eventually put in place

• Alternatives should eventually be suitable

• In years to come, Animals might not be used for testing ever again

Conclusion

Subjective Debate

People For

People Against

No right or wrong answer

Majority are on the ‘bench’ of the topic