Date: March 18, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
National Academies Launches New Roundtable on Laboratory Animal Science and Welfare
WASHINGTON -- The National Academies’ Institute for Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) has established the Roundtable on Science and Welfare in Laboratory Animal Use to foster communication among the many constituencies with strong interests in the use of laboratory animals in research.
Even as advances in science are helping reduce the use of animals in biomedical and other research, some animal testing will still be necessary for the foreseeable future. For more than 60 years, ILAR has provided science-based information to guide the responsible care and use of laboratory animals. In addition to being ethically sound, better care for laboratory animals is directly linked to reliable, high-quality scientific results, research shows.
“ILAR has a long and distinguished history of assembling leaders in laboratory animal care and use and identifying opportunities for continued progress in this ever-evolving field,” said roundtable co-chair Steven Niemi, director of the Office of Animal Resources at Harvard University. “Adding the roundtable to ILAR’s repertoire of services to the public and the research community provides a timely and interactive platform to all stakeholders.”
By convening representatives from government agencies, pharmaceutical and consumer product corporations, animal advocacy groups, professional societies, academic institutions, scientists, and veterinarians, the roundtable aims to stimulate dialogue and collaboration, help build trust and transparency, and provide a new pathway to promote the responsible use of animals in science.
Among the topics that the roundtable intends to explore:
• transportation of laboratory animals, a critical international policy issue;
• the value of animal models and their appropriate application;
• improvement of data sharing, along with negative results, failed models, and best practices;
• design, implementation, monitoring, and sharing of performance standards with regulatory and accreditation support;
• navigating increased regulatory complexities; and
• understanding Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) responsibilities.
On June 4-5 in Washington, D.C., the roundtable will conduct a public workshop on reproducibility to discuss fundamental aspects of experimental design for research using animals and animal models. A second public workshop, to be held Sept. 3-4, will examine critical issues relating to the transportation of research animals and address the challenges of transporting laboratory animals humanely and safely.
The roundtable is sponsored by Covance Laboratories, Inc., University of Washington, University of Michigan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Novartis Corporation, American Veterinary Medical Association, American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, GlaxoSmithKline, University of California-Davis, University of Illinois, Charles River Laboratories, and the National Academies. ILAR is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in developing science-based guidelines for responsible animal care and use. ILAR provides independent, objective advice to the federal government, the biomedical research and lab animal medicine and science communities, and the public. For more information, visit http://dels.nas.edu/ilar/.
The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council make up the National Academies. They are private, independent nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter granted to NAS in 1863. The National Research Council is the principal operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. For more information, visit http://national-academies.org. A roundtable roster follows.
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NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
Division on Earth and Life Studies
Institute for Laboratory Animal Research
Roundtable on Science and Welfare in Laboratory Animal Use
Lynn C. Anderson (co-chair)
Covance Laboratories Inc.
Steven M. Niemi (co-chair)
Harvard University
David Anderson
University of Washington
Bonnie V. Beaver
Texas A&M University
Pamela Chamberlain
Food and Drug Administration
Carol L. Clarke
APHIS Animal Care - U.S. Department of Agriculture
Robert C. Dysko
University of Michigan Medical School
James G. Fox1
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dianne Garnes
Novartis Corp.
Gail C. Golab
American Veterinary Medical Association
Donna M. Jarrell
Massachusetts General Hospital
Bruce W. Kennedy
California Polytechnic State University
David M. Kurtz
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Margaret S. Landi
GlaxoSmithKline
Kent C. Lloyd
University of California - Davis
Paul A. Locke (Liaison to ILAR Council)
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Lawrence B. Schook
University of Illinois
Susan Brust Silk
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare - National Institutes of Health
William J. White
Charles River Laboratories
John C. Wingfield
National Science Foundation
Robert H. Wurtz1,2
National Eye Institute
STAFF
Lida Anestidou
Roundtable Director
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