Should Medicines Be Tested on Animals?

The use of animals in research is essential for enabling researchers to develop new drugs and treatments. ... Animal models help ensure the effectiveness and safety of new treatments. Alternative methods of research do not simulate humans and whole body systems in the same way and are not as reliable.

Do medicines have to be tested on animals?

Animal tests on human medicines are a legal requirement in almost every country in the world. No new prescription medicine can currently be developed without the use of animal testing. These laws come under the responsibilities of UK Department of Health and the European Union.

Why Should medicines not be tested on animals?

The harmful use of animals in experiments is not only cruel but also often ineffective. Animals do not get many of the human diseases that people do, such as major types of heart disease, many types of cancer, HIV, Parkinson's disease, or schizophrenia.