As an institution whose missions include biomedical education and research , UT-Houston relies on animals to play a key role in helping fulfill these missions. The vast majority of our people don't come into daily contact with animal research. Nonetheless, without the dedicated efforts of those who do work with animals, the university would not be able to fulfill its missions. The following is a list of frequently asked questions and answers about the use of animals in research. Every new drug and most new medical procedures must be evaluated before they are tested on human beings.
Animals provide ideal models for that testing and evaluation.
The federal government does not permit human trials for drugs until they have been successfully tried in animal models. Without animal trials there would be no new drugs. The university supports the view that live animals play an essential and irreplaceable role in the advancement of biological knowledge, human health, and animal welfare. The federal government maintains stringent standards for all aspects of care and experimentation involving live animals. UT-Houston staff and researchers make every effort to ensure the animals are well cared for and subjected to the minimum level of pain or discomfort, and the institution is nationally recognized for exceeding the required standards.