Imagine being confined to a cold, shivering cage, isolated and deprived from the outside world you once lived in; suddenly realizing that your life is now in the hands of a great human being in a white coat. Each year in the United States, more than 25 million animals participate in biomedical trials, product and cosmetic testing, and science education (Neavs). With countless effective, reliable and beneficial alternatives relevant to the human species for which the drug is intended, it begs the question of why we continue to lose millions of innocent animal lives. Not to mention being involuntarily imprisoned and treated inhumanely, animal testing costs not only innocent lives, but also delays in medical research and debts of up to millions of dollars. One of the largest and most frequently cited counterarguments states that animals subjected to experiments do not feel pain, so the tests are justified because they are humane. As an article in People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals states: “In addition to the real pain of experiments, an honest view of the situation of animals in laboratories should take into account the totality of the suffering imposed on them, including the stress of capture, transportation and handling ; housing in confined and unnatural conditions; the deprivation that constitutes standard breeding procedures; and the physical and psychological stress experienced by animals used for reproduction, who undergo fertilization cycles until only their young are torn away, sometimes immediately at birth" (Peta). Since it is impossible to measure exactly how much pain animals feel during procedures, it is quite easy to conclude that a combination of fear, stress, and physical and emotional trauma ca...... middle of paper ......organization, structure and function of human organs and organ systems. These chips could be used to replace animals in research into diseases, drugs and toxicity testing. They have been shown to closely replicate human physiology, disease and drug responses more accurately and reliably than animal testing (Peta). Additionally, cruelty-free products are more environmentally friendly. Toxicity testing contributes greatly to the world's waste. Researchers breed, test, and dispose of millions of animal subjects as hazardous waste that slowly adds to our damaged environment (Neavs). In conclusion, there are numerous alternatives to animal testing that could improve scientific research with more effective, reliable and accurate techniques, and create a faster lead to groundbreaking new discoveries, saving money and the lives of innocent animals in the process..