Opinion: Embracing Animal Research Alternatives While Also Embracing Reality
Heard of the FDA Modernization Act? It’s already got quite a reputation.
After its passage in the final days of 2022, PETA immediately deemed the federal legislation “groundbreaking,” calling it “a radical shift in the way drugs and treatments are developed.” Another animal rights group predicted the act would usher in “better treatments to patients, and drive down drug prices.” Read more.
Published April 12, 2023 by DC Journal and Inside Sources Publication
UW animal welfare board loses fight to keep names secret from activists
The University of Washington can’t keep secret the names of an internal board overseeing the use of animals in scientific research, according to a federal court order, which comes amid an ongoing push by an animal-rights organization to shed more light on one of the few primate research labs in the country. Read more.
LETTER: PETA promoting anti-research agenda in Beaumont
It’s disappointing that the Beaumont Enterprise is helping PETA promote their anti-research agenda (PETA bringing virtual reality experience to Lamar, 3.9.2023). Institutions of higher learning across the state of Texas and around the globe have ushered in advancement after advancement via animal studies, benefitting humans and animals alike. A few examples include: lifesaving cancer therapies, HIV treatments that allow patients to live long and healthy lives, cutting edge surgical approaches and a long list of vaccines that prevent serious illness and even death. Read more
The FDA now has the option to approve drugs that are tested in only non-animal studies
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer requires new drugs to be tested in animals before being approved. This is thanks to a law passed in December 2022. FDA Modernization Act 2.0 authorizes the use of certain alternatives to animal testing, including cell-based assays and computer models, to obtain an exemption from the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a drug. Read more.
Jim Newman: PETA campaign ‘shameful and dangerous’
PETA’s campaigns targeting individual scientists are both shameful and dangerous. Imagine opening the paper one day to see a full-page ad that targets you personally by name. Now imagine spotting that ad after months and months of harassment by a well-funded group, a campaign that has resulted in hate mail, threats and naturally, safety concerns. Read more.
FDA no longer requires animal testing for new drugs. Is that safe?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer requires new drugs to be tested in animals before being approved. Thanks to a law passed in December 2022, the agency now has the option to approve drugs that are tested in only non-animal studies, including those that use lab-grown tissues or computer models, before being tested in clinical trials with humans. Read more.
Jim Newman: PETA campaign ‘shameful and dangerous’
PETA’s campaigns targeting individual scientists are both shameful and dangerous. Imagine opening the paper one day to see a full-page ad that targets you personally by name. Now imagine spotting that ad after months and months of harassment by a well-funded group, a campaign that has resulted in hate mail, threats and naturally, safety concerns. Read more.
FDA no longer needs to require animal tests before human drug trials
New medicines need not be tested in animals to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, according to legislation signed by President Joe Biden in late December 2022. The change—long sought by animal welfare organizations—could signal a major shift away from animal use after more than 80 years of drug safety regulation. Read more.
NIH can’t deny former research chimps sanctuary retirement, federal judge rules
A U.S. federal judge has ruled against the nation’s largest biomedical agency in a long-running battle over the fate of dozens of former research chimpanzees. On Tuesday, a Maryland court declared that the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) violated federal law by not moving the animals out of biomedical facilities to a government sanctuary. The ruling could force the agency to transfer the great apes, though the details remain to be worked out. Read more.
Letter to the Editor: Animal Studies Remain Critically Important”
Contrary to the numerous claims made by Evelyn Wagaman of PETA, animal studies remain critically important when it comes to saving human and animal lives and improving the health of a wide variety of species. Read more.