You can post your Edexcel Biology doubts here instead of making new thread on it:
https://studentforums.biz/sciences-149/edexcel-biology-doubts!!!!/Answer:If it is morally wrong to cause animals to suffer then experimenting on animals produces serious moral problems.
Animal experimenters are very aware of this ethical problem and acknowledge that experiments should be made as humane as possible.
They also agree that it's wrong to use animals if alternative testing methods would produce equally valid results.
Two positions on animal experimentsIn favour of animal experiments:Experimenting on animals is acceptable if (and only if):-suffering is minimised in all experiments
-human benefits are gained which could not be obtained by using other methods
Against animal experiments:Experimenting on animals is always unacceptable because:-it causes suffering to animals
-the benefits to human beings are not proven
-any benefits to human beings that animal testing does provide could be produced in other ways
Harm versus benefitThe case for animal experiments is that they will produce such great benefits for humanity that it is morally acceptable to harm a few animals.
The equivalent case against is that the level of suffering and the number of animals involved are both so high that the benefits to humanity don't provide moral justification.
~ The three RsThe three Rs are a set of principles that scientists are encouraged to follow in order to reduce the impact of research on animals.
The three Rs are: Reduction, Refinement, Replacement.
Reduction:Reducing the number of animals used in experiments by:-Improving experimental techniques
-Improving techniques of data analysis
-Sharing information with other researchers
Refinement:Refining the experiment or the way the animals are cared for so as to reduce their suffering by:
-Using less invasive techniques
-Better medical care
-Better living conditions
Replacement:Replacing experiments on animals with alternative techniques such as:-Experimenting on cell cultures instead of whole animals
-Using computer models
-Studying human volunteers
-Using epidemiological studies
