428 • Alternatives to Animal Use in Research, Testing, and Education 
Organ Culture: The attempt to isolate and maintain 
animal or human organs in in-vitro culture. Long- 
term culture of whole organs is not generally feasi- 
ble, but they can be sustained in cultures for short 
periods (hours or days). 
Pain: Discomfort resulting from injury or disease. Pain 
can also be psychosomatic, the product of emotional 
stress. Pain can be induced by mechanical, thermal, 
electrical, or chemical stimuli, and it can be relieved 
by analgesics or anesthetics. 
Pharmacokinetic Studies: A branch of toxicity test- 
ing that provides information about the mechanics 
of absorption. 
PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Labora- 
tory Animals by Awardee Institutions: Revised 
in 1985, the Policy applies to PHS-supported activi- 
ties involving animals (including those of NIH). It re- 
lies on the NIH Guide for the Care and Use of Lab- 
oratory Animals, and uses institutional committees 
for the assessment of programs and maintenance of 
records. 
Pound Release Laws: State laws that provide for the 
seizure, holding, and humane disposal of stray and 
unwanted animals. Most States permit the release 
of unowned animals to research institutions that have 
met specified conditions. These laws have been 
closely scrutinized in the past lOyears and nine States 
have passed laws prohibiting the release of stray ani- 
mals to research institutions. The most far-reaching 
of these laws takes effect in Massachusetts in 1986. 
Also referred to as “pound seizure laws.” 
Protocol: The plan of a scientific experiment or treat- 
ment. 
Reduction: Considered an alternative to animals when 
fewer animals are used in research and education 
through changed practices, sharing of animals, or 
better design of experimental protocols. 
Refinement: An alternative to animal use by better 
use and modification of existing procedures so that 
animals are subject to less pain and distress. Exam- 
ples of such refinements are the administration of 
anesthetics and tranquilizers, humane destruction, 
and the use of noninvasive imaging techniques. 
Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances 
(RTECS): An annually published compendium, ex- 
tracted from the literature, of known toxic and 
biological effect of chemical substances. RTECS is 
published by NIOSH under the provisions of the Oc- 
cupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. 
Repeated- Dose Toxicity Test: Repeated or prolonged 
exposure to measure the cumulative effects of expo- 
sure to a test substance. These tests involve chronic, 
subchronic, or short-term exposure to a test sub- 
stance. 
Replacement: An alternative to animal use, replac- 
ing methods using animals with those that do not. 
Examples include the use of a placenta instead of a 
whole animal for microsurgical training, the use of 
cell cultures instead of mice and rats, the use of non- 
living systems, and the use of computer programs. 
Research: The development of new knowledge and 
technologies, often with unpredictable but poten- 
tially significant results. Uncertainty, missteps, and 
serendipity are inherent in the research process. Re- 
search is distinguished from testing by the ways in 
which animals are used, and the identity of the in- 
vestigators. There are more research procedures 
than there are tests, and researchers are more likely 
to develop their own procedures. 
Research Facility: Under the Animal Welfare Act, any 
individual, institution, organization, or postsecond- 
ary school that uses or intends to use live animals 
in research, tests, or experiments. Facilities that re- 
ceive no Federal support for experimental work and 
that either purchase animals only within their own 
State or that maintain their own breeding colonies 
are not considered research facilities under the act, 
however. 
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act(RCRA): 
This act was passed to protect public health and the 
environment through the regulation of the manage- 
ment and handling of hazardous waste and through 
the control of solid waste disposal. 
Resusci-Dog: A plastic mannequin linked to a com- 
puter. The Resusci-Dog can simulate an arterial pulse 
and pressure can be applied to its ribcage for cardiac 
massage or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 
Sequential Design Test: The comparison of treatment 
groups at set stages of experimentation. Further ex- 
perimentation at higher doses is undertaken only if 
there is no significant difference between the two 
groups. This kind of test has potential application 
in anesthesiology, endocrinology, nutrition, and 
other fields. 
Serial Sacrifice: The sequential killing of animals to 
examine the occurrence and progress of induced 
effects. 
Short-Term Toxicity Test: Repeated -dose toxicity test 
that involves exposure to a test substance over a pe- 
riod of 2 to 4 weeks. 
Speciesism: A term used by some animal rights activ- 
ists, referring to the denial of animal rights as a moral 
breach analogous to racism or sexism. 
State Environmental Acts: Legislation passed by 
States to regulate pesticides, air quality, water, and 
waste products. These laws are often the simple 
adoption or recodification of existing Federal laws. 
Subchronic Toxicity Test: Repeated-dose toxicity test 
