The earliest historical usage of makeup comes from Egypt’s first Dynasty (c. 3100-2907 B.C), where tombs from this era revealed unguent jars, a substance used by Egyptians in order to prevent wrinkles from the sun (Baabel et al. 2019). Unfortunately, as makeup became more and more popular in recent decades, animal testing of makeup has also become more prevalent as well. Animal experiments are used extensively when developing new medicines and testing product safety, including makeup (Kabene et al. 2019). Animal testing is a very controversial subject, because, on one hand, some individuals believe that animal testing is “acceptable if suffering is minimized and there are human benefits that could not have been achieved using any other means,” while some individuals argue that animal testing is simply unacceptable in any form and that the “benefits to human beings are either not proven or could be obtained using other methods” (Kabene et al. 2019). In the 1940s, two common animal testing methods were created; while the rabbit is restrained, researchers put chemicals in the eyes and on the skin of the rabbit and “score for redness, ulcers, swelling, and bleeding” (Lange 2021). The rabbits were killed after the experiments. According to Karen E. Lange’s article, Out of the Cage, into the Wild, 41 countries have ended or limited cosmetics testing on animals. Since 2009, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has funded “the development of the country’s own 3D cultures of human cornea and skin,” and HSI is working with National Assembly members to promote this new technology (Lange 2021).
These articles support all of the values we’ve learned, beneficence, nonmalfeasance, autonomy, and justice. These animals have their right to autonomy and justice, and these articles support the termination of animal testing in which researchers should have the welfare of the research participant, the animals (beneficence), where they ultimately do not harm the patient (nonmalfeasance). I am ashamed to admit, my original standing to this matter stood with the original group where if the animals are not in extreme suffering and it is for the greater good of the human race for medical purposes (creating a vaccine, for example) that would save millions of lives. However, after reading this article and being informed on the multitude of animal alternatives that can be used, my position has shifted. I hope that in the future we can begin this transition onto animal alternative testing for medical research. I understand that this is controversial and that the risk is high, but it would be better for animals in the long run if action was taken to make this change.
Lange, K. E. (2021, September 10). Out of the cage, into the future. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from https://www.humanesociety.org/news/alternatives-to-animal-testing.
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