Animal testing is defined as “the use of non-human animals in research and development projects, especially for purposes of determining the safety of substances such as food or drugs” (“Animal Testing”). Unfortunately, some cosmetic companies treat animals unethically during testing; this brings into question whether or not the practice of animal testing can be considered ethical, or even necessary, in regards to cosmetic purposes. Those with pro-animal testing views may argue that the practice of testing cosmetics on animals is necessary for human safety, however, with modern advances in technology, there are now more options for alternatives than ever before. With support from major companies and governments, alternatives to animal testing could potentially become the standard in the near future.
Those who support animal testing argue that animal testing in cosmetics is necessary to ensure that the product is safe for human use. They argue that “there is no adequate alternative to testing on a living whole-body system” (“Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing”), and this is why “animals are appropriate research subjects because . . . animals and humans are so biologically similar” (“Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing”). Humans are biologically similar to animals in
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The AWA requires research animals to be provided with adequate food and clean water, as well as, regular veterinary care. However, animal testing supporters fail to recognize that “the AWA does not cover rats, mice, fish, and birds, which comprise around 95% of the animals used in research” (“Should Animals Be Used for Scientific or Commercial Testing”). This means that the animals typically used in research aren’t protected under the AWA, even though it is commonly perceived that they