This might be of interest to the list:
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Chronicle of Higher Education

Lobbyists Say Research Will Suffer From Reported Settlement of Animal-Rights
Lawsuit
By RON SOUTHWICK Washington

To the dismay of biomedical researchers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture
has tentatively agreed to settle a lawsuit seeking to increase the
protection of birds, mice, and rats used in research. The settlement could
cost universities millions of dollars in additional paperwork and appears to
greatly expand federal regulations, research advocates say.
The Alternatives Research and Development Foundation, based in Minnesota,
filed the suit to obtain protection for birds, mice, and rats under the
Animal Welfare Act. The law is designed to protect warm-blooded animals in
laboratories and zoos, but enforcement has been currently restricted to
larger mammals, such as cats, dogs, and monkeys.
Both the government and the foundation, which promotes alternatives to using
animals in laboratory studies, acknowledge that they have agreed to a
settlement. However, neither side would discuss its terms until the judge
handling the case, U.S. District Court Judge Ellen S. Huvelle, approves the
pact.
While details of the settlement are still unknown, research lobbying groups
expressed their disappointment Monday. University lobbyists argued that
expanding the regulations would be very expensive and could even slow
medical advances.
"Settling this suit without taking into account the deep concerns of the
research community is a serious mistake," said Jordan J. Cohen, president of
the Association of American Medical Colleges.
The National Association for Biomedical Research, which represents 350
universities and companies, led a last-minute pitch to the Agriculture
Department to drop settlement negotiations late last month. About 800
institutional representatives sent letters or e-mail messages to the
Agriculture Department opposing any negotiations.
"There is broad concern about this," said Barbara A. Rich, the association's
executive vice president.
Fearing that the settlement would make animal research much more expensive,
the Johns Hopkins University asked the federal court for permission to
intervene in the case. So far, the university hasn't heard if it will be
allowed to join the lawsuit, said Dennis O'Shea, a university spokesman.
The Agriculture Department had argued that the agency lacked the money and
staff to expand its enforcement. Department officials said that widening the
law's scope would actually weaken the department's other animal-protection
efforts.

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Michael J. Renner, Ph.D.
 Interim Associate Vice President
 Office of Faculty Development, Scholarship & Research
Professor of Psychology
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383

xxxxxx@wcupa.edu
Telephone: 610-436-3310
Fax: 610-436-2763
http://www.wcupa.edu/_facstaff/facdev/
"The path of least resistance is always downhill."
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