Research
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, November 1994:
The National Institutes of Health Human
Embryo Research Panel, after eight months of
study, on September 29 endorsed federal funding for
biomedical research on human embryos outside the
womb during the first 14 days after conception. The
panel recommended against the creation of embryos
specifically for research, however, except to research
matters directly pertaining to fertilization.
The Environmental Protection Agency
and the National Institutes of Environmental
Health Sciences on September 22 hosted a gathering
of 60 scientists to discuss protocols for reducing the
number of animals used in testing the cancer-causing
potential of chemicals. The goal is to identify car-
cinogenicity from use of one sex and one species,
instead of the present minimum of two to achieve rec-
ognized findings.
The American Fund for Alternatives to
Animal Research is offering $10,000 to the scientist
who as of November 1994 has made the most substan-
tial contribution to validating alternatives to animal
testing. Get details from AFAAR, 175 W. 12th St.,
Suite 16G, New York, NY 10011.
Purdue University researchers have
obtained four patents on a technique for using mate-
rial from pigs’ intestines to replace damaged tissues
within the human body.
Objecting to ANIMAL PEOPLE’s
description of one of her recent papers as support-
ing the conclusion of Tufts University Center for
Animals and Public Policy director Andrew Rowan
that U.S. laboratory animal use is steadily declining,
F. Barbara Orlans of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics
at Georgetown Univerity sent along her source materi-
al with a note saying, “I believe the USDA data
shows no decline in overall numbers, based on the
10% that are counted,” although she acknowledged
declines in cat and dog use. Rats, mice, and birds
are excluded from the USDA totals, and farm animals
have been included only since mid-1990. However,
the USDA data shows that among the six species
tracked since 1977, rabbit use is down 24% from the
high of 554,000 reached in 1987; hamster use is
down 27% from the high of 437,000 reached in 1984;
guinea pig use is down 35% from the high of 599,000
reached in 1985; cat use is down 51% from the high
of 69,000 reached in 1979; dog use is down 50%
from the high of 211,000 reached in 1979; and pri-
mate use is down 18% from the high of 61,000
reached in 1987.
Journals
Continuing a series of auto-
biographies by people prominent in
animal protection, Between The
Species 9.3 features ANIMAL PEO-
PLE editor Merritt Clifton. An auto-
biography by ANIMAL PEOPLE
publisher Kim Bartlett appeared in
1990. Also in 9.3, Michael Allen Fox
concludes in a review of environmen-
talism and meat-eating that, “As long
as environmental ethicists ignore the
issue of vegetarianism, it will be dif-
ficult to take seriously their claims to
be proponents of a new holistic ethic.”
Between The Species 9.3 is $5.00, or
$16/4 issues, from POB 8496,
Landscape Station, Berkeley, CA
94707.
Society & Animals 2 . 2
includes provocative studies of
“Public Attitudes Toward Animal
Research” and “Competing Defini-
tions of Laboratory Animal Cruelty
and Public Policy.” No price listed;
inquire at 10 High St., Knapwell,
Cambridge CB3 8NR, UK.
