Every year, tens of millions of animals are dissected, infected, injected, gassed, burned and blinded in university laboratories and corporate research facilities throughout the U.S. and the world. Researchers conduct medical experiments on these primates, dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents and other species seeking cures for diseases that afflict human beings. Still more animals are used to test the safety of cosmetics, household cleansers and other consumer products. In whatever ways these animals are exploited, their lives are sacrificed for the supposed betterment of human society.

Most people believe that using animals as research tools is ethically justified because it helps save human lives. Yet there are three crucial questions about animal experimentation that generally remain unasked:

1) Does animal experimentation really advance human medicine?
2) How are animals in research laboratories treated?
3) Is it right to injure and kill animals even if humans benefit from it?

In their book Sacred Cows and Golden Geese: The Human Cost of Experiments on Animals, C. Ray Greek, MD and Jean Swingle Greek, DVM challenge the assumption that medical progress depends on animal experimentation. They detail many examples of scientific advances that were accomplished without the use of animals, as well as numerous instances in which reliance on animal research actually hindered medical innovation and resulted in human deaths. In this and other books, the Greeks argue that animal experimentation is unethical if only because it harms rather than helps humans.

Most people assume that, legally, animals used in research must be well cared for, but testimony from whistleblowers and numerous undercover investigations prove that animal welfare violations from substandard housing conditions to lack of veterinary care are common. Every year, hundreds of millions of our tax dollars are used to fund animal experiments, yet the animal research industry is allowed to operate without independent civilian oversight and virtually no accountability for how animals are being used. Therefore, the public is largely unaware of how animal research subjects are mistreated.

Even if humans did gain valuable medical knowledge by conducting animal research, would it be right to injure and kill sentient beings for our own species’ benefit? Before you answer “Yes,” consider this analogy. Imagine that a race of super-intelligent space aliens landed on Earth tomorrow and claimed the right to conduct painful experiments and lethal tests on us because aliens are more intelligent and powerful than human beings. Obviously, our use of animals is no more ethically justifiable than alien exploitation of humans would be. 

If you want to help animals used in research, take part in IDA’s World Week for Animals In Laboratories (WWAIL), an annual weeklong series of events against animal experimentation taking place from April 23rd to 30th. IDA has acted as the international coordinator for WWAIL since 1986, encouraging people of conscience to speak for those who have no voice. If you would like to organize an event in your community, IDA would be happy to assist you. Visit www.wwail.org for more information and to receive free materials.