The Humane Research and Testing Act of 2020 (H.R. 8633) has Been Introduced in Congress
Alternatives to Animal Testing, Experimentation and Dissection - An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research and Experimentation (CAARE)
October 2020

The establishment of a National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research will be a game changer that will transform the status quo of untold millions of animals heartbreakingly killed in experiments at a time when biotechnology and medicine are exploding with new innovations to replace them.

After more than a year of dedicated congressional outreach, CAARE is proud to announce that The Humane Research and Testing Act of 2020 (H.R. 8633) has been introduced by Representatives Alcee Hastings (D-FL) and Vern Buchanan (R- FL).

If passed into law, H.R. 8633 will establish the National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research under the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Since our launch in 2014, CAARE has consistently demonstrated that the fundamental limitations of animal research coupled with advances in technology, make animal research outdated, unnecessary, unethical and a hindrance to medical progress.

Hamster neck injection

Increasingly, many of our elected representatives understand this too. The bill’s leading sponsor Congressman Alcee Hastings points out:

As science and medicine advance, we have a better understanding of the relevancy and benefits of animal-based medical research and testing on human health outcomes. We are finding methods that can better predict human results without the needless suffering of animals.”

The Humane Research and Testing Act will establish an unprecedented National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research in the U.S. to enable NIH to effectively replace animal experimentation by developing, funding and incentivizing non-animal methods of research.

CAARE is excited that H.R. 8633 has received many influential endorsements including the Jane Goodall Institute, Cruelty Free International, Vanda Pharmaceuticals and Dr. Donald Ingber MD, PhD, one of the pioneers in developing organs-on-chips.

Lung chip diagram

Explains Dr. Ingber, chaired professor at Harvard's Medical and Engineering Schools and Founding Director of its Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering:

We are reaching a tipping point in the field of in vitro human emulation technologies where they are able to recapitulate human physiology and disease states, as well as response to drugs, radiation, and toxins.

The ability of these approaches to predict human clinical results compared with animal experiments needs to be evaluated in an objective manner to determine best practices. A new NIH Center focused on meeting this goal would benefit this field, save animal lives, and expedite the development of more effective and safer therapies.

Crucially, H.R. 8633 will go beyond just creating a center dedicated to non-animal research by including steps to make sure that NIH is reducing total numbers of animal used.

The Humane Research and Testing Act of 2020 will require NIH to track and disclose all animals used including rats, mice and birds key information that is currently withheld and demonstrate its progress through mandatory bi-annual reports.

Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, commends the bill noting:

Much animal research takes place because scientists don't have the knowledge or support to pursue other methods. The proposed NIH center would overhaul the current paradigm of widespread, repetitive, and unnecessary animal experiments in a way that nothing has before.

Multi well plate

CAARE is extremely grateful to Representatives Hastings and Buchanan for introducing the Humane Research Act and Testing Act of 2020.

The establishment of a National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research will be a game changer that will transform the status quo of untold millions of animals heartbreakingly killed in experiments at a time when biotechnology and medicine are exploding with new innovations to replace them.

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