The document discusses the growing challenges and critical crossroads faced by the field of animal research in the United States, particularly as societal values increasingly prioritize animal welfare over scientific advancement. It highlights how regulatory pressures, legislative intervention, and activism, such as high-profile legal actions and media coverage, create a complex and frequently hostile environment for researchers. The document underscores the mounting administrative burdens, zero-tolerance compliance standards, and resource constraints—specifically referencing the shortage of nonhuman primates and the threatened status of canine research models—that hamper scientific progress and threaten the continuity of essential medical research. Notable cases, such as the Envigo/Inotiv dog breeding facility shutdown, are cited as both cause and reflection of heightened scrutiny and limited institutional support.
Despite these obstacles, the text asserts the continued necessity of animal models, especially nonhuman primates, for biomedical innovation and public health, referencing both scientific literature and recent pandemic-related disruptions as evidence. The document warns that inaction or insufficient support could drive research activities overseas, compromising national interests in public health, competitiveness, and security. It calls for a deliberate and strategic response, chiefly greater governmental backing, to ensure that the United States remains a leader in medical research while navigating ethical and practical concerns.
