Madison Kopitsch

UWRT 1104

Dr. Mitchell

10 September 2017

Animal Testing for Cosmetics

Introduction:

Animal testing has been considered to be a controversial topic for many people including

researchers, experimenters, and regular people, like you and I. In previous years, technology was

nowhere near how it is today, therefore testing on animals seemed to be the only way to find out

what chemicals were harmful. Modern Technology has evolved and changed so much over the

past few years, that there are now new studies that dont involve testing animals. Some of these

new tests include vitro testing, which means experimenters study different cell structures and are

able to receive data that closely resembles humans. Researchers have come to the conclusion that

animals and humans do not resemble one another as closely as people think they do. According

to Thomas Hartung, its very difficult to find an animal that closely resembles the same parts that

a human has. Thats why he agrees that animal testing is inhumane and extremely cruel.

Researchers have recorded that over one-hundred fifteen million animals are tested on

throughout the whole entire world. According to Cruelty Free International, the top five

countries for animal testing include United States, Japan, China, Australia, and France. However,

over the past few years, animal testing in China has increased since the 1980s. The most

common test that are completed on animals are skin and eye irritation tests. Experimenters put all

different types of chemicals on the skin of a rabbit or rat and watch to see how it affects the

animal. According to various sources, each time an animal is tested on, their chance of survival
decreases. In the year of 2015, The Humane Society of America released a bill that would end

animal testing for cosmetics in the United States. The Humane Cosmetic Act received a large

amount of support from groups ranging from Democrats to the company Lush. But, according to

Dr. Elias Zerhouni, who was a former member of the U.S National Institute of Health, stated that

the animal research that the government has been conducting is not going well.

Initial Inquiry Questions:

Why is it that testing on certain types of animals considered to be ethical and testing on

people is unethical? What happens after a drug is tested and considered to be fine enough for

human testing? Ninety-two percent of products or chemicals that are said to be safe in animal

testing, fail in human trials. These products are too dangerous and harmful for humans, therefore,

there is no guarantee that a drug will be one hundred percent good for humans to use. So the

question is, why do we continue testing on animals, when studies have shown that some of the

time the drugs dont work? Who determines when a chemical or product is safe enough for

human use? Do researchers believe that animal testing morally correct? How are we, the people

of America, suppose to trust a saying on a bottle, well knowing that part of the time the

chemicals are still harmful. Are there currently any other methods of testing that could stop

animal testing for good? One example of another tests includes a test called, Organs on Chips.

This experiment allows human cells to grow up and resemble the function of the organs of the

human body. What makes experimenters believe that testing on animals is okay, do they not feel

horrible for putting the animal in that position?

Interest in Topic:
 Throughout my life I have always had a soft spot for animals of all shapes and sizes. Ive

grown up with plenty of dogs and have spent a lot of time with horses as well. Animals are

suppose to always be there for you no matter what and whenever I learned that animals were

being tested on, I was angry. The first time that I was interested in the topic of animal testing was

when I watched Legally Blonde for the very first time with my mom. In the movie El Woods has

a little chihuahua whose family was being tested on in a lab. This scene of the movie opened my

mind to that fact that animal testing is a real problem and is not a lie. Animals, to me are

completely innocent and should not be tested on, because it is simply inhumane. People all over

the world get arrested for abusing animals, so isnt testing on animals the same concept. Does it

make it ethical, because a guy wearing a fancy white lab coat says its okay? The answer is no. I

understand the fact that testing on animals makes sure the products are okay for humans, but

everything comes down to this; animals are just like people. They feel happiness, sadness and

most importantly they feel pain as well. Of course most scientist make sure the animal feels

comfortable before testing a chemical, but there have been some instances where the animal feels

everything until its last breath. I want to be able to say that I helped change the idea of human

testing, so that's why I want to do this topic.

Next Steps:

The first step Im going to take is research different methods that experimenters can use

instead of animal testing. This is important because throughout the past few years, experimenters

have come up with brand new methods that do not involve test products on animals. After I

research new methods, Im going to look into what companies have changed their experimental

methods. Next Im going to focus on the outcome of animal testing. I want to figure out exactly
what happens after a chemical is considered to be safe. After I figure out what happens after an

animal is tested on, I want to learn about more ways I can help animals in North Carolina. I

personally believe that this is one way I can make a difference in my life and the lives of other

animals. All I want to do is make a difference in the world we live in and if the only way I can

make a difference is to find out as much information as I can, Im going to do just that.