Animals in Research
Massachusetts Society for Medical Research
Provides examples of how animal models have led to treatments of both animal and human diseases. MSMR also produces an interactive perpetual calendar entitled "People and Animals: United for Health", aimed at children, which talks, among other things, about animal research contributions to veterinary medicine.
Michigan Society for Medical Research
Disease brochures, such as this one for canine parvovirus, explain how animal research has led to progress against animal and human diseases.
Michigan State University
Lists biomedical research benefits related to animal diseases.
New Jersey Biomedical Research Association
North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research
Southwest Association for Education in Biomedical Research
This group has an exceptional site entitled "When Animals Help Animals" which has numerous fact sheets, news reports, research papers and anecdotal-style stories of animal research aimed at solving animal medical problems.
Use of Animals in Research and Education
Animal Issues Subcommittee; A subcommittee of the FASEB Science Policy Committee
FOCUS: This subcommittee is focused on animal issues. The group is particularly interested in gathering animal-related educational materials and making them available to FASEB members and the public to foster discussion of the use of animals in research.
States United for Biomedical Research
Not only does this site contain information on how different animals have contributed to medical knowledge, but it is a gateway to the state biomedical research advocacy groups. The state groups have a wide array of educational materials on the benefits of animal research, activities for students and educators and discussions of local issues.
Americans for Medical Progress
This site provides continuously updated news stories on progress and discovery in biomedicine through the use of animal research, as well as information and statements from opponents and supporters of animal research.
Foundation for Animal Use Education
A great educational resource – explains the issues regarding animal use in a variety of settings, but emphasizes biomedical research. Lists a number of medical benefits resulting from animal research and has a remarkable Tools for Teachers section with a large number of K-12 activities. There is also discussion about the difference between animal rights and animal welfare.
Coalition for Animals and Animal Research
The CFAAR groups are organized locally in many regions whose mission is to educate the public about the use of animals in research (the link is to the Arizona chapters home page.) CFAAR members have published a number of informative online articles including The Trojan Horse of Animal Protectionism and Animal Research: The Comparative Psychologist’s Perspective.
Research Defense Society
A European advocacy organization, the RDS’ web site offers factsheets on animal research, a timeline of medical milestones reached via animal research and a forum for debate and discussion of this topic. Also has updated news stories and downloadable animal images.
Biomedical Research Education Trust
An organization based in the UK, the mission of BRET is to provide information about the humane and responsible use of animals in research. They have an excellent section on the necessity of animal research throughout the history of medicine, giving detailed and very readable information on how animal research has impacted treatments of specific diseases. There is also a lot of data on the number of animals used for biomedical research, as compared with those used for food, destroyed in shelters, etc. and a good discussion of alternatives to animal research, in terms of why they’re not always available.
Why Use Animals in Research?
An attractive brochure to answer this question, developed by the Oregon Health & Science University.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
A branch of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), APHIS is the agency in charge of administering the Animal Welfare Act, which regulates animal care. This site links to a great deal of information on laws and regulations regarding animal welfare, as well as government reports on the subject.
National Institute of Health – Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW)
While some species of laboratory animal are not protected under the Animal Welfare Act, the majority of these lab animals are covered by the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. OLAW’s web site outlines NIH’s regulations and policies on the use of animals in research and provides researchers information on where to get training to work with or serve on Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC).
Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR)
The Institute for Laboratory Animal Research is under the auspices of the National Academies of Science. They prepare authoritative reports and educational materials on the care and use of animals in research. ILAR’s Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals has become the standard for lab animal care. ILAR’s web site contains links to their journal, which covers the latest research on lab animal welfare, as well as copies of their other publications.
American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS)
An excellent resource for researchers working with, or wishing to educate others, about animal research. Information on this site includes certification programs and professional development activities for individuals who work with lab animals, conference information, and educational information about lab animal research. There are downloadable publications and PowerPoint presentations about the importance of animals in biomedical research.
Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC)
AAALAC promotes humane treatment of lab animals through a voluntary accreditation program. The site includes information on what accreditation entails, how to apply, what institutes have been accredited and international resources. Also a good source of information on humane animal care and use.
American College of Laboratory Medicine (ACLAM)
ACLAM offers certification of lab animal professionals – their site contains information on certification and professional development materials for animal research personnel.
Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW)
The primary purpose of this site is to educate scientists and educators about the best practices for lab animal care. It includes information on IACUC training, changes in regulations regarding animal care and provides a forum to exchange scientific information regarding lab animal welfare.
Essentials for Animal Research – IACUC
Excellent on-line text created as a joint effort of the National Agricultural Library, USDA, and the University of Illinois Chicago. Primarily aimed at educating lab personnel and researchers about the regulations governing IACUC and issues of animal welfare.
IACUC.org
This site is a wonderful resource for Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees, as well as those who wish to learn more about how IACUCs work. Mainly consists of organized links to information on regulations, guidelines, databases and other resources.
Federal Regulations for Animal Research
A short overview of how federal regulations for animal research affect experimental design and the IACUC process. From the Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science at Case Western University.
Respect for Life
This publication was developed by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at the National Institutes of Health. It begins with the question Why Animal Research? and explains the importance of animal research and how scientists ensure the humane treatment of animals. A good overview of the process involved in conducting research using animals at NIEHS.
AnimalRights.Net
Although the primary goal of this site, as stated on its home page, is to “debunk the animal rights movement”, it does provide both up-to-date news on discoveries made via animal research and provides a discussion forum for debate and discourse on animal research.
The Importance of Animal Research to Medical Discovery
An excellent series of questions and answers about the necessity of animal research, prepared by Michael Dabney of UCSD. Contains a wonderful quote by Former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop.
Animal Research is for Human Welfare
An editorial from The Scientist on the growing opposition to animal research and explaining why it was still necessary. Site requires free registration.
Animals & Research
A 5 part series from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Topics include:
- Part 1: Unlocking the secrets of genetic disease through animal research
- Part 2: Improving medical treatments for animals
- Part 3: Animals are key to discovering new medicines
- Part 4: The ethics of using animals in research
- Part 5: How research animals live
Myths About Animal Research
There’s a lot of false information out there, propagated by a variety of organizations, claiming that animal research benefits no one. This site debunks some of the most common misperceptions, compiling information from a variety of sources.
American Physiological Society
The APS site highlights the latest news on issues and regulations regarding animal research, useful for both scientists and the public. Also includes a link to an excellent, downloadable publication, called Questions People Ask About Animals in Research.
American Psychological Association
A cogent explanation on why animals are important in psychological research. Also included are the APA’s guidelines for ethical conduct in the care and use of animals in research.
Society of Toxicology
The SOT’s animals in research committee’s activities and policy statements are available here.
Seriously Ill for Medical Research
A group of patient advocates, SIMR is based in the UK and provides a number of factsheets on the benefits of animal research.
Incurably Ill for Animal Research
This patient advocacy group’s site discusses animal research from the patient’s point of view, through first person narratives of real people suffering from disease. There is a discussion of the major issues and answers regarding animal research in a very user-friendly format.
BioRap
Information on scientific research and medicine, for curious students and their teachers. Covers everything from aging to genetics to product testing… Find out how animal research has helped in the fight against AIDS.
Survivors: Animal Research Saves Animals
A new initiative of the Foundation for Biomedical Research, this site provides information on how animal research has benefited progress in veterinary medicine using stories of real life pet survivors who have overcome illness of injury thanks to animal research. Includes free downloadable screen saver, information for veterinarians and numerous fact sheet on animal research and animal medicine.