Research on Animals
La'keasha, a brilliant research scientist, is confident that she is on the right track to finding the
cure for a certain type of brain cancer. It is one of the most common forms of brain cancer. In
order to further her research, she will have to perform tests on orangutans. The apes will live in
the laboratory and receive chemical treatments that will give them brain cancer. Half the
orangutans will receive no treatment, and the other half will get the experimental treatment. At
different stages of the experiment, Belinda needs to autopsy a brain to check the progress of the
tumors. Of course, this examination will kill the animal. This is the only research method
available for getting closer to a cure, other than similar experimentation on humans.
What is the ethical thing to do?