First the center in the United Kingdom closed, followed by those in France and Germany. Although not a center, the Veterinary Resources Branch of the Division of Research Services in NIH also closed. The institutions that closed were not able to sustain the support bases that initiated them. For laboratory animal science, their closure was a global setback. As a result, less attention was paid to the microbiological and genetic quality of labo- ratory animals, and the quality of animal research has remained compromised.
Medical researchers realize the importance of using high-quality laboratory animals.
They have started making demands on laboratory animal scientists to produce high-quality animals and to maintain them in that state. The result has been a renewed impetus to improve laboratory animal quality worldwide. Centers that have not heeded expectations have not survived. Had those centers followed the precepts of their founders, many would undoubtedly still be in existence today. Because such centers have ceased to exist, it has been difficult to continue progress in improving laboratory animal quality globally.