National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences - NIEHS
For many thousands of years, humans and animals have worked together and depended on each other for protection, livelihood, nourishment, comfort, and company.
Today their association has expanded from the farm, field, and hearth into the laboratory. There, because of their striking parallels to human systems and structures, animals serve as scientifically valid surrogates, or substitutes, for people in research, development and testing. These animals have made possible antibiotics, vaccines against diseases ranging from polio to Lyme disease, blood thinners and other cardiovascular therapies, pain-killers and many surgical procedures.
The laboratory rodent used in testing protects all our families from dangerous chemicals (by helping scientists identify them).
Animals themselves often benefit from the surgeries, drugs and vaccines developed. Similarly, the research of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences benefits animals because NIEHS research contributes to protecting the environment for all the life that shares the earth - companion animals, farm animals, wildlife, marine life - and plant life as well. All share an existence requiring freedom from pollutants in the air, soil and water.
But no matter how potentially beneficial the research may seem, before laboratory studies are begun, there are checks to assure that the work is really needed and doesn't duplicate other studies that as few animals as necessary are used... that their treatment is kind... that their surroundings and food are healthy and nutritious... and that veterinary care is at hand... as you will see in this booklet.And, as you will also read, NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program (which is headquartered at NIEHS) and other federal agencies have joined together to search out alternative test methods and approve any that prove reliable tests that would provide the accurate answers needed but with fewer animals or none at all. This effort is just beginning to show results.
Respect For Life, NIH Publication #90-3170, Updated June 2000 Our publications are not copyrighted and may be reproduced without permission. However, we do ask that credit be given to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health. |
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NIEHS Contact: WebCenter (webcenter@niehs.nih.gov) |
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