Introduction

Scientific research plays an important role in human’s life, humans in their day to day life are surrounded by scientific research which not only helps them to gain knowledge but also helps in making their life more elementary by the development of new medicines and also by improving the curative care services. Though, the scientific research helps human in every aspects of life but in the recent past the modern research has become one of the most controversial aspects when it comes to trial and test on the animals, widely known as animal experimentation or in vivo testing, where the animals are used in order to know any side effects of a product before they are applied to the human beings.

However, in the past animal testing has resulted in revolutionary medical researches. For example the invention of insulin for the treatment of diabetes was ‘made possible through the experiments on dogs’. (Bentham, 1907) Not only this even the ‘rabies vaccine’ was developed using the animals. (Mill, 1979). Even the WHO in its studies found that 95% of the new drugs formed have undergone through animal testing before they being applied to humans in the medical trials. (World Health Organization, 2022).

Despite of all these historical benefits, animal testing give rise to ‘serious ethical concerns’, and amongst all the most highlighted being the concern regarding the sufferings and the death inflicted on such a guiltless creature. According to the report of PETA, “over 100 million animals are used annually for experiments worldwide.” (PETA, 2023). Now, when we think about this situation our mind is bewildered by the ethical dilemma of whether the human welfare should prevail over animal welfare and rights or not.

When we talk about animal testing there are majorly two viewpoints, some people are of the opinion that it acts as a “necessary evil” in order to save the human life, where as some people considers it to be a harsh and morally not justified act specially when the other alternatives are present. This project is based on the analyses of animal testing with the help of some important ethical theories, involving the examination of real-world scenarios which helps in providing the solutions in order to resolve the dilemmas

IDENTIFICATION AND ARTICULATION OF ETHICAL DILEMMAS:

It revolves majorly around two moral principles as follows:

1. ‘Advancement of Human Health and Safety’: More than a million of human lives have been saved through testing of the products on animals in the laboratory as it helps in providing the sensitive and important data regarding the side effect or diseases involved and what are the possible treatments of the same. For example, “the polio medicine was developed using the monkey as the subject.” (Regan, 1983). Even in the pandemic the COVID-19 vaccine went under a number of animal trials before testing them on the human. (Beauchamp & Childress, 2020).

2. ‘Moral consideration of animal suffering’: These experiments often lead to the suffering of animals, distress or can even cause death. Thus, these experiments give rise to the question of morality of harming animals for human benefits. “PETA estimates that more than 100 million animals, including mice, rabbits, and dogs, are used annually worldwide for experimentation.” (PETA, 2023).

The main ethical issue or questions that arises are that whether the animals also inherit the same rights as the humans do? Or the benefits that are gained through animal testing are as such that they overweigh the harm? Last and the most important are there any other alternatives present? 

ANALYSIS:

• Utilitarian perspective: Both “Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill” believes in the perspective of “maximizing the overall happiness and minimizing the sufferings”, which means providing greatest happiness of the greatest number. (Mill, 1979, p. 14). According to Bentham the capacity of animals suffering should be one of the primary moral considerations, “The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But, can they suffer?” (Bentham, 1907, p. 311).

Application of animal testing: Considering the utilitarian point of view animal testing can be justified when the benefits received by the humans are such that they over weigh the suffering and harm suffered by the animals. For example: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines were first tested on mice and monkeys to ensure safety before human trials, which ultimately saved millions of lives worldwide.” (World Health Organization, 2022). But still, some are against this view stating that some testing, like the cosmetics –shampoo, beauty products and lipsticks testing on rabbits does not have any kind of life-threatening diseases and leads to unnecessary sufferings of the animals, hence failing to follow the utilitarian principle.

Therefore, according to the utilitarian point of view the testing on animals can only be considered ethical only when there is a substantial amount of benefit to the humans, when no other alternative methods are available and the efforts are being made in order to minimize the animal’s sufferings.

• Deontological point of view: according to Immanuel Kant, the actions are based on ‘adherence to moral duties and principles rather than outcomes.’ (Beauchamp & Childress, 2020, p. 89). Although his idea does not directly extend to animals, still the modern time deontologists like Tom Regan are of the opinion that animals are “subjects-of-a-life” with inherent value. (Regan, 1983).

Application of the above on animal testing: from the deontologist point of view using animals just to benefits the human needs is considered to be morally wrong regardless of any amount of benefits it provides to the humans. Thus, according to deontologists using animals for the lifesaving experiments is also regarded as unethical as long as they violate the “fundamentals rights” of the animals.

Therefore, from the deontological view point it is considered to be an unethical practice, as far as it disregards the worth and rights of the animals no matter how much benefit it provides to the humans.

• Perspective of virtue ethics: Aristotle is associated with the concept of virtue ethics in which he emphasis upon the moral features and virtues for example compassion, justice for all, and by following the virtuous activity which means avoiding the extremes.

Application: in the view of Aristotle a virtuous researcher will act compassionately in order to minimize harm and sufferings caused and by promoting the welfare at large. The virtue ethics involves three major R principles i.e. “Replacement, Reduction and Refinement”, in which replacements refers to the use of alternative sources of testing, reduction means reducing the percentage of animals that are being used in such types of experiments and on the other hand refinement helps in providing the ways in which one can minimize the pains and sufferings. For example, using “A laboratory implementing advanced simulation techniques to replace animal subjects demonstrates compassion and moral integrity.”

• Right based perspective: this theory give rise to the argument that animals, being the living emotional beings have any inherit rights available to them as similar to the human beings. Tom Regan, associated with this theory argues on the point that animals should not be used as a mere source for the benefit of the humans. (Regan, 1983, p. 243).

Application on animal’s testing: according to the above theory will always be considered an unethical practice as it violates the ‘basic fundamental rights’ of the animals. This view has also been influenced by the legal reforms like “the EU ban on animal testing for cosmetics, which recognizes animals’ moral standing.” (European Commission, 2013).

CASE STUDY:

1. “Polio Vaccine Development (1950s)”: experiments on monkeys played an important role in developing the polio vaccination which saved the millions of lives all around the world. Serving as an appropriate example which demonstrate the utilitarian point of view. 

2. “Draize Test for Cosmetics”: ‘Rabbits were used to test eye irritation caused by cosmetics, leading to severe pain and blindness.’ (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals [PETA], 2023). This got great criticisms and promoted to use other alternatives.

3. “EU Cosmetic Testing Ban (2013)”: In this ‘The European Union prohibited both animal testing for cosmetics and the sale of products tested on animals.’ Thus, this helped to take the right path towards the more ethical research practices. 

CONCLUSION:

In order to resolve the ethical dilemma, we need a balanced approach that would help address both the human needs as well as the animal welfare. Therefore, the government should take active actions in order to develop advance methods that does not require animal testing for example “computer simulations, lab-grown human cells, and organ-on-a-chip technology”, thus providing a more humane alternatives to historical animal testing in the laboratories. Furthermore, the 3R principle should be made compulsory all across the world to minimize animal use and protect them from harm and suffering. The global uniformity of such laws will help to prevent companies from exploiting the governmental gaps present in a country with weak approach in ethical standards.

Hence, from the above insights it can be interpreted that complete elimination of animal testing may not be that practicable and therefore science and ethical should work in such a way that they can advance together. By ‘fostering innovation, humane practices, and global cooperation, society can achieve progress without compromising moral integrity.’

Bibliography:

1. Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2020). Principles of biomedical ethics (8th ed.). Oxford University Press.

2. Bentham, J. (1907). An introduction to the principles of morals and legislation. Clarendon Press. (Original work published 1789)

3. European Commission. (2013). Ban on animal testing for cosmetics. European Union. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/cosmetics/animal-testing_en.

4. Mill, J. S. (1979). Utilitarianism. Hackett Publishing. (Original work published 1863)

5. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. (2023). Animal testing statistics. PETA. https://www.peta.org.

6. Regan, T. (1983). The case for animal rights. University of California Press.

7. World Health Organization. (2022). Role of animal testing in vaccine development (WHO Report). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int.