Christian Xu

ENG 21003

Professor Zayas

Research Paper – Proposal

4/3/2023

The overarching topic of my research paper is the discussion of underlying effects that growth hormones use in animals may have on humans through consumption. The topic will touch on all aspects of drug use in animals, which includes the use of growth hormones and other similar steroids, as well as antibiotics. The specific group I will be analyzing in conjunction with my topic is the effect on prepubescent and pubescent children. Moreover, I will explore the resulting implications that these drugs may have on their endocrine system. This matters to society because the vast majority of the global population consumes some variant of meat product, whether it be poultry, beef, or even fish(seafood). As a result, the use of drugs in animals for human consumption is vital to sustaining the population that consumes meat as part of their stable diet. Animals are susceptible to diseases of their own, and when animals are bred in mass, specifically for food, these diseases become more prevalent within the populace, which could quickly wipe out entire farms of animals. I still need to learn and research the precise drugs that are given to animals and whether or not they have been tested on humans to have any side effects. Studies on children’s hormones and their subsequent endocrine health from the consumption of animal products with drugs prevalent needs to be evaluated. Gaging the public’s knowledge on drug use in animals may be a beneficial starting point in determining if this topic is a prominent issue for some. Acquiring the public’s opinion on animal growth hormones and antibiotic use is also important in determining their standpoint and biases. Moving forward, evidence from animal testing of these drugs could be used to support or refute the public’s viewpoints. One such study is “Understanding the Public’s Intentions to Purchase and to Persuade Others to Purchase Antibiotic-Free Meat” (Smith et al., 2016).