Animals in Biomedical Research

• The ability to conduct humane and responsible animal-based research must be preserved to help conquer disease, alleviate suffering, and improve the quality of life.

• Ethical animal research has played a vital role in virtually every major medical advance of the last century - for both human and animal health. This research is invaluable in the development of life-preserving treatments for people, as well as cats, dogs, farm animals, wildlife, and endangered species.

• Biotechnology companies have depended on this research to develop nearly 250 biotech drugs and vaccines approved by FDA, helping 325 million people worldwide and preventing incalculable human suffering.

• Animal activists erroneously believe these animals are abused or that computer models can substitute for live research models. Studies show that computer models are an important component of medical research, but that all research invariably requires live models.

• Animal care is a top priority for farmers and scientists. The care and handling of biotech animals must be approved by an institutional animal care and use committee, as required by USDA and the Animal Welfare Act. The USDA or NIH inspects research institutions to verify the well-being and care of animals.

• There are 111 USDA-approved biotech-derived veterinary biologics and vaccines that improve the health of livestock, poultry and companion animals. Biotech veterinary products to treat heartworm, arthritis, parasites, allergies and heart disease, as well as vaccines for rabies and feline HIV, are used daily by veterinarians.

Animal Rights and Eco-Terrorism

• Activists' campaigns against biotechnology companies are strategic, specific, unrelenting and directed toward delivering economic, and sometimes physical, damage to companies engaged in innovation for life-threatening diseases such as cancer and cystic fibrosis.

  Animal rights extremists have engaged in bombings of research facilities, harassment of the spouses, children, friends and neighbors of biotech executives, and vandalism of personal property.

• BIO supports the need for stricter federal and local laws and their enforcement against animal and plant activists that commit terrorist and illegal activities.

• Laboratory animals are essential to research on new therapies and cures. Studies show that computer models are an important component of medical research, but that all research invariably requires live models. New treatments must be tested on laboratory animals to assess product safety before administering them to humans.

• BIO believes all researchers must rigorously follow all government regulations and professional standards in the United States, such as the Animal Welfare Act and the federal guidelines for animal care and use issued by the National Institutes of Health. In February 2005, BIO adopted a Statement of Ethical Principles for the Care and Use of Animals in Biotechnology Research, which reflects the industry's commitment to proper stewardship of animals for all applications of biotechnology ? from biomedical research for pharmaceutical development to biotech animals for human and animal health research.

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has repeatedly stated that environmental and animal rights activists who have turned to arson and explosives are the nation's top domestic terrorism threat.

  These groups have committed more than 1,100 criminal acts in the United States since 1976, resulting in damages conservatively estimated at approximately $110 million.

• In November 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, which expands criminal prohibitions against the use of force, violence, and threats involving animal enterprises and increases penalties of these prohibitions.

  BIO believes the Act is an important step to protect researchers and scientists from terror tactics employed by animal rights extremists.