Facts about Use of Animals at the University of Michigan
Animal research has been and continues to be crucial to medical advancements of all kinds. The vast majority of drugs, devices, surgical techniques, and other methods for the prevention, treatment and cure of disease and relief of pain and suffering are based on knowledge obtained from animal research. Likewise, many diseases -- polio, diphtheria, mumps, rubella, hepatitis, and may more -- that once killed millions of people every year are either preventable, treatable, or have been eradicated altogether because of the knowledge gained through animal research. The University of Michigan is vigilant in its efforts to regulate and monitor this type of research. It is committed to the highest standards in animal protection and to the humane and judicious use of animals in research and training. U-M has maintained national accreditation continuously since 1971 and undergoes regular inspections by the USDA and the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International. U-M is also committed to conducting animal research that reduces the number of animals used, replaces animals with other options whenever possible, refines tests to ensure the most humane conditions possible and assures that animals are treated judiciously and humanely. U-M meets or exceeds the standards of humane care for research animals that are required under its own rules and under state and federal rules. The University Committee on Use and Care of Animals -- made up of scientists, non-scientists, citizens and veterinarians -- approves and oversees every research project that uses animals to make sure they are well cared for and humanely treated. Reported injuries to animals have been rare and isolated events, not routine occurrences. In every case, the issues that led to these incidents were identified and remedied swiftly and preventive measures put in place to keep them from happening again. U-M is continually improving its systems for monitoring researchers' adherence to protocols and to the close scrutiny that takes place before a research project is approved. U-M routinely emphasizes the unequivocal need to adhere to legal and ethical standards to those who work with animals. U-M continually seeks new opportunities to enhance protections for animal use and care on campus and welcomes constructive feedback on what it can do to improve. U-M disagrees in the strongest possible terms with PETA's mischaracterization of its animal care program. U-M respects and listens to concerns with positions it takes regarding its work in the fields of education, research and patient care. As a research institution, however, the University must remain true to its mission, which is to improve human life by educating physicians, discovering ways to prevent and treat illness and injury and to provide the highest level of patient care. Stopping the use of animals in research and training would lead to the end of breakthrough advances in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, AIDS/HIV and other devastating diseases. The University believes that the humane and limited use of animals, under strict controls, is necessary for biomedical research, medical education and to advance the ultimate goals of enhancing patient care and saving lives. The University of Michigan research projects involving animals encompass a extremely wide variety of fields, with studies in the Schools of Medicine; Dentistry; Pharmacy; Nursing; Natural Resources; Engineering; Kinesiology; Public Health; Literature, Sciences, and the Arts; and Life Sciences Institute. The University also has a Cancer Center and a Geriatrics Research Training Center, and Institutes in Gerontology and Neurosciences. The University of Michigan’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) oversees the administration of over 1,000 animal use protocols held by over 500 Principal Investigators. The Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) provides veterinary care to all animals used on campus. All five classes of vertebrates are represented in our daily census of over 150,000 animals. Animal facilities total more than 240,000 gross square feet in over 38 buildings including one Animal Biosafety Level-3 (ABSL-3) and six ABSL-2 programs, two biological stations (10,000+ acres), and a University-owned livestock housing facility. |
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