Lives are saved with animal testing
1955 - Polio vaccine released.
1964 - Dr M. DeBakey performs the first coronary bypass surgery using techniques perfected on animals.
1982 - Treatment for leprosy developed using armadillos.
1982 - Prions are discovered in hamsters. Subsequent studies in mice have shown that these disease causing proteins can be inherited.
1989 - Organ transplantation advances developed.
Or is it unnecessary and dangerous?
After testing it on 18 000 mice, Teropterin was used to treat acute childhood leukaemia, but the children died more quickly than if they had not been treated at all.
Opren, the anti-arthritis drug, passed safely in animal tests but was withdrawn after it caused more than 70 deaths and serious side effects in 3 500 other people.
The heart drug Eraldin also passed animal tests but caused blindness, growths, stomach troubles and joint pains in humans.
What animals are used in medical research?
Find out here