This document discusses the use of laboratory animals in biomedical research and testing. It notes that annually between 100-115 million animals are used for medical and veterinary investigations and training, drug testing, cosmetic testing, and educational programs. It provides background on the history of animal experimentation and the development of the modern animal rights movement since the 1970s. It also outlines some of the key laws and policies governing animal research in the United States.

1. This work byValerie LangWaldin, J.D., M.L.S. is licensed under a Creative CommonsAttribution 4.0
International License.

3.  Medical and veterinary investigations &
training
 Drug testing
 Cosmetic testing
 Consumer products
 Educational programs
 Annually between 100,000,000 and
115,000,000

4. Living animals used for these procedures are
called laboratory animals.
They usually die from these procedures or
are euthanized.
Major issue for animal rights activists since
1970s

5.  Procedure in which an
organism is cut apart
for scientific examination
 DISSECTION  VIVISECTION
 Term used for all
invasive research and
testing performed on
live animals

6.  Training tools for doctors and veterinarians
◦ E.g., inserting a catheter, administering anesthesia,
performing operations
◦ Test subjects on vaccines, drugs, and other
products
 So you have a spectrum of passionate belief.
 May 2008 Gallup Poll
 Table 5.1 page 78
 Do you see a trend?

7. People react emotionally to these images.
Scientists and researchers prefer to
think of these animals as specimens
or clinical tools.

9. Took the position that animals were unthinking and unfeeling machines
(French philosopher)
Philosopher Rene Descartes 1596-1650

10. Jeremy Bentham – British
philosopher and political scientist
1748-1832

13.  1894 – Animals’ Rights, Considered in
Relation to Social Progress
◦ “The practice of vivisection is revolting to the
human conscience, even among the ordinary
members of a not over-sensitive society.”
◦ Beginning of modern antivivisection
◦ Movement
 Scientific manipulation of living beings

14.  American Anti-Vivisection Society – 1883
 New England Anti-Vivisection Society – 1895

15. p. 79
Mark Twain “A Dog’s Tale”

16.  Doctors lobbied Congress to crack down on
dangerous drugs and personal products sold
to Americans.
◦ Opposed by powerful marketing groups
1937 – 100 children died from drinking a product
that contained antifreeze.
1938 – The Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act required
animal testing.

17.  First tests – rats, up to one month
 1957 – Drug testing on rats and dogs for up
to 6 months
 1960s – Testing on pregnant animals* see
notes
 1980s – Rats and dogs up to 18 months

18. * p. 80 - Pepper

19.  Media publicized
 Bills introduced in Congress to regulate
animal dealers and laboratories
 Life Magazine, 1966: Concentration Camps
for Dogs p. 80

20. Required licensing of animal dealers and regulation
of laboratory animals
Excluded (and still does) rats, birds and mice

21. Animal Liberation: A New Ethics for Our Treatment of Animals
(1975)
*Dr. Peter Singer

22. Late 70s – Henry Spira, animal activist, accused major companies of animal cruelty in
animal testing. National Association for Biomedical Research and Michigan Society of r
Medical Research were soon founded.
1980 – Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrance Association funded the founding of
The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at Johns Hopkins University.
*Draize Eye Test

24. Videos about animal experimentation,
dissection and activism

25. Click here for a Lexis news search lesson!
Type: biosearch and testing and lab! and Philadelphia
What happened after Biosearch?

27.  Prohibits causing physical disruption to the
functioning of an animal enterprise
◦ Three types of animal enterprises:
 Commercial or academic enterprises using animals to
produce food or fiber or for agriculture, research or testing
 Zoos, aquariums, circuses, rodeos and other legal sporting
events
 Fairs and similar events designed to advance agricultural arts
& sciences
◦ Offenses that can be charged under the act include
using the mail to cause physical disruption at animal
enterprises and stealing, damaging, or causing the loss
of property, including animals and records.

28. Stop Huntington Animal Cruelty
SHAC 7 Trailer

30.  Animal Welfare Act
 Health Research Extension Act
 Food Drug and Cosmetic Act

31. See USDA summary

32.  Passed in 1985
 Requires facilities that receive federal funding
from the Public Health Service* follow an
animal welfare policy (called Public Health
Service Policy)
 Must follow Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
 Similar to requirements in AWA but HREA applies to all
vertebrates including mice, rats and birds

33.  Drugs must receive FDA approval before they
can be sold in the U.S.
 The FDA does not allow human testing to
occur if animal testing is unsatisfactory.
 Animal testing is not required for cosmetics
(but is recommended).

34.  Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1947 and
Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976
◦ EPA administers these two pieces of legislation
 Federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act – 1960
◦ Consumer Product Safety Commission administers
◦ Applies to household products
◦ Affects animals because household products with hazardous
ingredients must warn consumers

35. Click HERE for a timeline of the
history of advocating for
chimpanzees used in research.

36. NIH temporarily bans new chimpanzee
research

37. 2007: Six states accounted for 46% of all
regulated research animals

38. Number of animals used in research
by species, 1973-2007

39. ◦ Biomedical Research
 Vast majority of research animals are used in this area
 CRISP (Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific
Projects) – database of biomedical research projects
that have received federal funding since 1972

40. ◦ Drug Testing
 Drug companies usually test new drugs on at least 2
different animal species.

41. ◦ Product Testing
◦ Consumer Products
◦ Dissections
◦ Surgical/Medical Training and Behavior Research

42.  “Cruelty Free” P. 88
 Johns Hopkins FAQs

43.  Personal Care for People Who Care
 Who Tests on Animals?

44.  2009 – ban on testing of cosmetic ingredients
on animals in Europe
 2009 – ban on sale and import of cosmetics
tested on animals using certain tests
 2013- final ban on the sale and import of
cosmetics tested on animals using any test

45.  The following states have laws upholding a
student's right to choose humane alternatives
to dissection without being penalized:
Florida, California, Pennsylvania, New York,
Rhode Island, Illinois, Virginia, Oregon, New
Jersey and Vermont.
◦ Many schools and school boards have also
independently enacted student-choice policies.

46.  PCRM – Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine
Many veterinary schools now use animal
cadavers donated by people whose pets have
died of natural causes or have been humanely
euthanized due to an illness or condition.

47. More than 90% of all U.S. medical schools have
eliminated live animal labs to train medical
students.
What does this mean?
Albany Medical College Animal Use Policy

48.  American Anti-Vivisection Society
 National Anti-Vivisection Society
◦ Personal Care for People Who Care
 New England Anti-Vivisection Society
 Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine
 Google “companies that do not test on
animals.”

49. Genetic Engineering
Related Topics

51. Next: The Animal Welfare Act