Alternatives to animal testing: science, ethics and the law
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Laura Rego Alvarez, Head of Science Policy and Regulation at Cruelty Free International, discusses the science and ethics behind alternatives to animal testing.
Animal testing remains a contentious topic in the science community and beyond. Some argue its benefits outweigh its ethical failures; others argue that it is morally wrong and, therefore, the practice should be stopped altogether.
Why do scientists test on animals?
A major reason why scientists continue to test on animals is the current way that hypotheses are tested in science. The process is one of testing models of increasing complexity with growing confidence in the hypothesis as it successfully passes each hurdle.
Therefore, the common justification for using animals is the apparent need to test a substance or idea in a ‘complex, whole being’ before there is enough confidence that it can be tested safely in humans. The assumption behind this is that the complex – that the whole being will capture all possible, unforese...
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