 |
|
|
When not alleviated, animal pain and distress can affect an animal's physiological and psychological state, distorting experimental results. ©iStock.com |
|
Efforts by The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to improve the welfare of animals used for research could be undermined by alarmist statements made by the Massachusetts Society for Medical Research (MSMR).
But colleges and universities that would like to demonstrate their commitment to the welfare of animals used in research should not be deterred.
Recently, The HSUS urged colleges and universities to sign a pledge ensuring that no animals used for research at their institutions would be subjected to severe and unrelieved pain and distress. To date, more than 25 schools have committed to the pledge.
But on the heels of The HSUS's communications with schools regarding the pledge, MSMR sent a letter to institutions in Massachusetts, urging them not to sign.
False Information
In the letter, MSMR warns that signing the pledge could "set the stage for a confrontation between various institutions of higher learning"—assumed to be those that conduct experiments that cause severe and unrelieved pain and/or distress and those that do not.
But the purpose of the pledge is not only to prevent severe and unrelieved pain and/ or distress in animals used for research but also to increase dialogue and bring attention to the important issues of pain and distress in research animals.
| TAKE ACTION |
|
If you're a faculty member, alumnus, student or staff member and you'd like your college or university to sign the pledge, contact us at ari@humanesociety.org. |
Important Dialogue
Shortly after The HSUS launched its Pain and Distress Campaign in 1998, MSMR invited them to submit a written piece about the campaign for its newsletter—which The HSUS did. Now, ten years later, MSMR has taken a step backwards by trying to silence dialogue on the very important issues of animal pain and distress.
"This is a pledge that the vast majority of institutions of higher learning should be able to sign. The idea that colleges and universities should avoid signing this important pledge in order to protect other institutions without the same commitment to animal welfare is ridiculous, says Kathleen Conlee, director of program management for animal research issues for The HSUS.
"We still strongly urge colleges and universities to join the other institutions that have signed the pledge. Their students, alumni and others will applaud their participation."
The HSUS's Pain and Distress Campaign is committed to eliminating significant pain and distress in research animals as a result of research procedures, transportation, housing conditions, husbandry procedures, and improper handling. The HSUS's long-term goal is to eliminate the need for the use of animals in harmful research.
An estimated 25 million animals are used in biomedical research experiments each year in the U.S. When not alleviated, animal pain and distress can affect an animal's physiological and psychological state, distorting experimental results.
