Using Death Row Inmates For Medical Research free essay sample

Due to animal testing, one animal dies in a laboratory in the United States every second, in Japan every two seconds and in the United Kingdom every twelve seconds. Billions of non-human animals have been burnt, crushed, sliced, electrocuted, poisoned with toxic chemicals, and psychologically tormented because of medical research. Alternatives for these experiments have shown to be less expensive and can be used repeatedly. We are in desperate need of reliable medical research. Why not experiment and receive more accurate finding for our medical needs? Why not use people who didn’t think twice about giving up their so-called human-rights when they committed such heinous crimes towards our society? Inmates on Death Row should be involved in a selfless and valued service with a purpose beyond being taxpayer burdens. Animals are said to have a different distribution of fine blood vessels and their skin does not react in the same way to the tests as that of a human. We will write a custom essay sample on Using Death Row Inmates For Medical Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although humans and animals are particularly similar throughout the central nervous system, other systems such as the cardiovascular system may differ greatly. For instance, lethal dosage (LD) tests used for cosmetic testing do not measure human health hazards, but only determine how toxic the product is to the type of animal it was tested on. The drug, Fialuridine, does not harm dogs and monkeys but often proves fatal to humans. Transgenic mice containing the defective gene causing cystic fibrosis do not show the symptoms characteristic of the condition in humans. Often, many diseases and substances act differently in humans than they do in animals. During experiments using animals in the past, tobacco continuously failed to produce cancer in the subjects being tested. Due to these failed trials; warnings and concerns about the dangers of cigarettes were not recognized for many years. During a test using the drug, Milrinone, it increased the mortality rate of patients with heart failure by 30% (www. lcanimal. org). During testing, it was shown to decrease this rate. Companies â€Å"claim† they carry out animal testing to establish the safety of their products beyond doubts. Their â€Å"main reason† to continue their horrific experiments on defenseless animals is to protect overall human health. It  does not seem completely logically to test human products and inject human diseases in animals that often are not resulting in the accurate results society depends upon. What better way to determine what effects a drug will have on a human than by testing it on a human? Death Row Inmates who have been proven guilty of their heinous crime should have to partake in a service to improve humanity since they are no longer a productive member of society. According to the 8th Amendment to the United States Constitution, we as the people prohibit the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines or cruel and unusual punishment. There are particularly four principles by which we may determine whether a punishment is â€Å"cruel and unusual. † The four principles are as follows: Degrading to human dignity, especially torture; inflicted in wholly arbitrary fashion, in other words, given for no legitimate reason; rejected throughout society; patently unnecessary. Since medical testing on animals still exists, it looks as though it is done for a legitimate reason and purpose, it is still not rejected throughout our entire society to completely ban the procedures, and it is apparent that the tests done are patently necessary. Why test human products on unreliable sources such as defenseless animals that are unaware of their purpose? Why not medically test human products on a human, who has willingly forfeited their life their rights when they committed their crime? In Florida, the average length of stay on Death Row prior to execution is a little over 13 years. That’s 13 years of a three guaranteed meals each day, a housed cell with a bed to sleep on, entertainment, including television, magazines, and a radio, exercise material, and an opportunity to shower every other day. That is 13 years of life a criminal is still living, living off the same persons’ tax funds that he or she may have tried to kill or have permanently damaged their life in some way or form. A new study in California has found that the death penalty costs taxpayers $137 million dollars each year. Why not cut those costs, save our money, and let these inmates serve in a valued service for the greatest of mankind? Human Rights activists might complain that it is unethical to use murders, rapists, drug dealers, serial killers and such as â€Å"lab animals†. It is also unfair that taxpayers’ money should contribute to keeping these people in prison years on end. As these people committed their crimes, they automatically â€Å"lost† their human rights. With this in mind, using them for the sake of medical advances will indeed redeem their lives in society and pay for their crimes at the same time. Inmates proven guilty and placed upon Death Row should indeed be involved in a selfless and valued service with a purpose beyond being taxpayer burdens.