This House would ban animal testing

In this debate "testing" should be defined as all testing on animals including, medical research, cosmetic, toxicology testing, and psychological research invloving animal subjects. Most existing bans on animal research, when they have been implemented, have involved some form of disciplinary action by a professional body and the possibility of criminal prosecution

Medical research is the hardest case for proposition in this debate to prove, since it has previously yielded substantial benefits for humanity, while contemporary animal research continues to contribute demonstrably to the speed and efficiency with which new scientific break throughs are achieved. Focussing the proposition case on toxicology, or cosmetics alone divert the debate into an area of law and ethics that is settled in most respects: many states around the world have instituted bans using animals to test cosmetics and the toxicity of domestic cleaning products, Thus the best proposition strategy is to focus on the hard case of medical research

Animal research has been used for several centuries as part of efforts to better understand the world around us. Almost all states actively research on animals at present. The total scale of all research on vertebrates is hard to measure, but according to some estimates it could be as high as 115,000,000 animals per year, with the vast majority of these being euthanized at the end of the period of experimentation
The pharmaceutical industry spends a significant amount of time conducting research on animals. Due to the relative paucity of drugs that make it on to the market place after the initial testing phases, the global cost of each successful new drug in terms of animal lives, is around 5.75 million animals. By contrast the now shrinking industry sector on chemical safety testing using animals, uses around 860 animals per chemical when screening for carcinogens ( cancer-causing substances)

Whlist much the research described above is categorised as causing minimal pain and suffering, figures obtained in 2010 show that in the USA alone 97,123 animals were used in research likely to involve pain and suffering, where pain killers and sedatives would not be administered. However, it should be born in mind that this figure is equal to only 8.5% of the total number of animals used in research activities covered by the US Animal Welfare Act - but the act does not cover mice, rats, birds or fish

the act doen not cover mice

covered by the US Animal Welfare Act

used in research activities

should be born in mind that this figure is equal to only 8.5% of the total number of animals

sedatives would not be administered

were used in research

likely to involve pain and suffering

figures obtained in 2010 show that in the USA alone 97,123 animals were used in research likely to involve pain and suffering

much the research described above is categorised as causing minimal pain and suffering

cancer-causing substances

when screening for carcinogens

uses around 860 animals per chemical

the now shrinking industry sector on chemical safety testing using animals

by contrast

the global cost of each successful new drug in tems of animal lives

make it on to the market place after the initial testing phases

due to the relative paucity of drugs

spends a significant amount of time conducting research on animals

with the vast majority of these being euthanized at the end of the period of experimentation

according to some estimates

the total scale of all research on vertebrates

actively research on animals at present
has been used for several centuries as part of efforts to better understand

thus the best proposition strategy is to focus on the hard case of medical research

have instituted bans using animals to test cosmetics and the toxicity of domestic cleaning products

is settled in most respects

cosmetics alone divert the debate into an area of law

Focussing the proposition case on toxicology

with which new scientific break throughs are achieved

contemporary animal research continues to contribute demonstrably to the speed and efficiency

substantial benefits for humanity

has previously yielded substantial benefits for humanity

the hardest case for proposition in this debate to prove

the possibility of criminal prosecution

have involved some form of disciplinary action by a professional body

have been implemented

most existing bans on animal research

involving animal subjects

toxicology testing

should be defined as all testing on animals