Date: Friday, August 28th 2015

Participants (from 9 countries):

Panel PRO: Boboty, Aziz, Moni, Sidra, Ibrahim

Panel CON: Johny, Rick, Seif, Eliana, Mai

AUDIENCE: Jawad

Host: Rick

Moderator: Marwa

Panel PRO summary:

Since we do not know the side effects of experimental drugs on humans, we don’t want to put risk on any person but it is okay to put risk on animals since human life is more important than animals.
All medicines need testing, and it’s better to use animals than using humans.
Many animals are biologically similar to humans, so they can be used for testing.
Animal testing has contributed in the development of new medicines.
Other animals have been cured thanks to animals testing research.
All forms of life are important but Human life is more important than animal life.
Before diseases get worse, we should use animals to conduct testing.
Is better to allow animal suffering than allowing human suffering because humans are above animals.
We are more valuable and more intelligent than animals, so let’s test on animals!
Some people accept testing on their own pets if that will save other animals’ lives.
If we don’t use animals, what or who are we going to use?
If we don’t test experimental drugs on animals, we will not know whether the new medicine will work or not.

Panel CON summary:

With today’s technology, and with alternative practices, medical research can be done without having to use any animals at all.
We shall not save others at the expense of innocent lives.
All over the world, animals that are destined to be used as test subjects are kept in inhumane conditions and not all of them are actually used for medical research.
Many people are so worried about the way they look that they are willing to kill an animal just to get better cosmetic products. (make up)
Even though some animals have similar DNA, they are not the same and we cannot use the same chemicals that work for them because there are many factors that are not present in the human body as well as factor that are present in humans but not in other species.
There are a lot of animals that are being kept and not all of them are actually used.
Stress has also a big impact in the way these drugs work on animals.
Humans are not god over the world; we cannot use animals just because we can.
Humans shall not decide over the fate of other creatures.
We should know how to respect life in whatever that life form is.
If you think it is ok to test on animals just because humans are more intelligent, then you should be ok with allowing other form of life, which would be more intelligent than humans, to test on humans without asking for permission or having any consent from us. (i.e.: Aliens)
Animals are not being asked for their consent or permission to test on them and this is a serious abuse of power from part of humans.
We shall not dictate how an animal would live or what they will be used for because each and every form of life has the right to live a healthy and free life without any human deciding upon their fate.
When we test on people, there is a prior consent whereas there are none when it comes to animals. It’s an abuse of power.
Many people who are doing animal test are merciless.
People use to think that animals have no feelings but the people who are testing on animals are the one without feelings.
People will understand what animals feel if they test on themselves instead.
Some researchers are seeking only to be famous and they do not care for these animals.
With today’s technology, there is no need any more of using animals in medical research because nowadays we can use genetic engineering to grow organs and make these tests on this things instead of using innocent animals.

AUDIENCE summary:

Jawad voted for both teams, therefore, the moderator was asked to break the tie however, Marwa also voted for both teams which mean both teams are the winners. Congratulations to all participants and thanks so much to be part of this debate.

There was a bonus chat after the debate and the topic was “Describe with 4 adjectives the countries of the participants.” This will be posted in a separated blog.

Below are the links to listen to our chat:

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Animal testing | Recording file | 28-8-2015

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