Washington, DC--Advancing Law for Animals sued the National Institutes of Health on behalf of White Coat Waste Project, challenging an illegal agency rule that exempts taxpayer-funded foreign animal labs from animal oversight measures necessary to prevent abuse and waste.
Federal law is clear: any lab conducting experiments on animals using American taxpayer funds through the NIH must have an animal care committee. These committees review, approve, or withhold approval for proposed animal experiments; inspect animal laboratories; address concerns about animal welfare and lab safety; report deficiencies; ensure animal experiments are not duplicative and that non-animal test methods are considered; and have the power to suspend non-compliant animal experiments.
Despite this clear and binding federal law, NIH published an agency rule, exempting foreign animal labs from compliance. That's why we're suing. An agency cannot contradict a federal law, and we are challenging this illegal rule in court.
Read the full complaint here.