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The Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)—the largest of the seven National Primate Research Centers and one with a notoriously poor welfare record—may cease biomedical research and be transformed into a nonhuman primate sanctuary. Last year, amid criticism from animal advocates, state legislators, and the public, OHSU was directed
The National Institutes of Health plans to award $87 million in contracts to launch a Standardized Organoid Modeling Center. Organoids are collections of cells that serve as miniature three-dimensional models of various organs. They are among a suite of “new approach methodologies” (NAMs) that, increasingly, are allowing scientists to conduct research and testing without using
A study in the journal Current Biology (Zipple et al., 2025) has shown that one week of living in nature prevents the development of anxiety or reverses established anxiety in mice who were formerly held in laboratories. The elevated plus maze is a common laboratory tool to measure rodent anxiety under various conditions. It is used, for
Alpha Genesis, Inc. (AGI), a massive supplier and user of monkeys in biomedical research, made headlines in late 2024 due to the escape of 43 monkeys, the deaths of another 22 from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning, and the emergence of whistleblower reports alleging grave negligence and incompetence at the company’s South Carolina facility. Despite these disturbing
In January, Charles River Laboratories (CRL)—a major provider of biomedical products and services—announced a $510 million agreement to acquire K.F. (Cambodia) Ltd., one of its suppliers of captive-bred monkeys for use in research and testing. CRL stated the acquisition would “enable greater oversight and operational control of a key supply source.” Prior to 2023, CRL
According to the journal Science, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been instructed to phase out all research involving monkeys by the end of the year. The CDC primarily uses monkeys in HIV-prevention research. The directive was reportedly passed down by a former Department of Government Efficiency employee (a recent college graduate
The growing momentum to phase out the use of animals in research and testing has been encouraging. At this stage, however, many circumstances remain in which effective nonanimal alternatives are not yet available or approved for use, and AWI is committed to safeguarding and advancing the welfare of animals who continue to be used in
A beagle named Hammy was fostered and then adopted by Melanie Kaplan. But Hammy wasn’t just any dog: He had been in a research laboratory for almost four years prior to his arrival at Kaplan’s home. As a journalist and investigator, Kaplan sought to learn about her beloved dog’s previous life. Her book, Lab Dog: A
In November, AWI hosted an exhibit at the annual symposium of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science—the world’s largest gathering of personnel involved in the production, care, and use of animals in laboratories. We distributed hundreds of books related to improving the welfare of animals in laboratories and took orders for our newest book, Refinements
Ridglan Farms—one of two remaining US breeders of beagles for research—will cease its large-scale breeding-for-sale operations by July 2026, following grave allegations of animal neglect and cruelty (see AWI Quarterly, fall 2025). Ridglan entered into an agreement with the State of Wisconsin to relinquish its state breeding license in order to avoid criminal charges. Earlier this
As of October, National Institutes of Health grant recipients are allowed to allocate a portion of their funding to the rehoming and retirement of animals after their use in experimentation. This could provide second chances for animals who otherwise would have been killed after their time in research and testing came to an end. AWI
In October, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on wildlife conservation, officially reaffirmed the “endangered” designation of long-tailed macaques (LTMs)—a monkey species used extensively for biomedical research in the United States—on its Red List of Endangered Species. The IUCN’s decision was based on a scientific assessment conducted by species experts that
The US Department of Agriculture’s long history of ineffective Animal Welfare Act (AWA) enforcement against noncompliant breeders, dealers, exhibitors, and research facilities appears to have reached a new low. AWI has analyzed extensive enforcement data and, in a recently published report, Trends in Animal Welfare Act Enforcement, presents evidence that a recent US Supreme Court decision
Through October 13, AWI is accepting applications for its Refinement Research Award and its Implementing Refinement Grant. Refinements, in this context, are improvements to the housing, husbandry, and care of animals used in experimentation to minimize pain, suffering, and distress. The Refinement Research Award offers up to $15,000 for research projects designed to study, develop,
AWI has joined the Validation & Qualification Network (VQN), a public-private partnership to foster the development and use of new approach methodologies (NAMs)—innovative techniques that can help reduce and replace animals in research and testing. The partnership—launched by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health in collaboration with the NIH—is an element of the Complement Animal
AWI is excited to announce the 25th anniversary relaunch of our Refinement Database, which has been updated and modernized and can now be accessed via a brand-new website. This database contains a vast array of curated scientific articles, books, and other publications related to improving or safeguarding the welfare of animals used in research and testing.
Ridglan Farms, one of two remaining US breeders of beagles for research (and the country’s second largest dog breeder overall), faces grave allegations of animal cruelty following release of footage taken by activists who broke into its Wisconsin facility, as well as corroborating eyewitness accounts from employee whistleblowers. Allegations range from neglect, failure to provide
Initiatives to encourage adoption or sanctuary placement of animals whose time in the laboratory has come to an end have gained traction across the country at both state and federal levels. This year, Virginia enacted a law requiring state-run facilities that have nonhuman primates no longer needed for research or testing to consider options for
In line with its recently announced initiative to prioritize human-based research (see AWI Quarterly, summer 2025), the NIH announced in July that moving forward, all new calls for funding from the agency, known as notices of funding opportunities (NOFOs), that relate to animal experimentation must now also “support human-focused approaches such as clinical trials, real world data, or
Experiments on animals (“in vivo” experiments) have long been the norm for learning about human health and disease, because testing on live animals enables researchers to investigate how chemicals, drugs, and disease affect a whole body, including the complex interactions between organs, tissues, and other biological systems. However, there are both ethical and scientific concerns