FASEB lauds Air India for transporting research animals

Bethesda, MD – The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) commends Air India for continuing to transport research animals. In a letter to the company, FASEB expressed its appreciation for Air India's perseverance in the face of considerable pressure from animal rights groups to discontinue shipping laboratory animals. "Animals are crucial for the advancement of biomedical research, and scientists around the world are dependent upon their safe and humane shipment," stated FASEB President Judith S. Bond. "The inability of scientists to access research animals could substantially impair their capacity to develop new medicines and treatments for many of the world's most devastating diseases," she continued.

FASEB also wrote to the United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx) urging the companies to reverse their decisions to discontinue the transport of mammals for research purposes. "We hope that UPS and FedEx reconsider their policies banning the transportation of mammals needed for critical biomedical research," stated Bond. FASEB's letters to Air India, FedEX, and UPS are available here (http://bit.ly/Txzf13).

###FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Celebrating 100 Years of Advancing the Life Sciences in 2012, FASEB is rededicating its efforts to advance health and well-being by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.