Our industry supports science-based regulation by government agencies to safeguard health, ensure safety and protect the environment. We support strong protection of the confidentiality of medical information, including genetic information. Individually identifiable medical information must be treated confidentially and safeguarded from misuse. We oppose the use of medical information to promote intolerance, discriminate against or to stigmatize people. We respect the animals involved in our research and treat them humanely.
Laboratory animals are essential to research on new therapies and cures.
We test new treatments on laboratory animals to assess product safety before administering them to humans. We also develop transgenic sheep, goats and cattle by inserting a gene that allows them to produce human pharmaceuticals in their milk. We breed animals that may provide tissues and organs for transplantation to humans. We will follow rigorously all government regulations and professional standards in the United States, such as the Animal Welfare Act and the federal guidelines for animal care and use promulgated by the National Institutes of Health. We are sensitive to and considerate of the ethical and social issues regarding genetic research.