Animal Welfare Policy

I. Scope

This policy applies to all animal research and testing conducted or sponsored by Wyeth Research.

II. General

1. Wyeth Research conducts research and development programs to discover and develop pharmaceuticals and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of human disease. Laboratory experimentation, studies in animals and trials in people are all needed to establish the safety and efficacy of new drugs and to obtain government approval for their marketing, manufacturing and sale.
2. Research animals are essential to understand the complex interactions among the body’s organ systems and the physiological and pathological consequences of exposure to drugs and vaccines. Wyeth Research is committed to using the minimum number of animals necessary to assess the safety and efficacy of our products. In addition, non-animal studies are utilized whenever valid alternatives exist, and existing methods are refined when necessary to minimize pain and distress or reduce animal use. Although non-animal research methods are increasingly contributing to the reduction of animal use, the need for animal studies will continue for the foreseeable future.

III. Specific

It is the policy of Wyeth Research, whether conducted in-house or by third-party contractors, that all animal care and use programs meet or exceed applicable regulations and guidelines relevant to research animal welfare. All animal use at Wyeth Research must be conducted in a humane and scientifically sound manner, adhering to the following principles:

1. No procedures may be conducted on any live or dead laboratory animal without written approval by the site-specific Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
2. All experimental animals are housed and cared for in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act (Title 9, U.S.C.), the European Union Directive 86/609/EEC, as applicable, and in accordance with other professional and humanitarian guidelines such as the Institute for Laboratory Animal Resources (ILAR) Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
3. Wyeth animal care and use programs are lead by specially trained veterinarians and professionals who are responsible for implementing sound animal management practices that support high-quality in vivo research.
4. Animals are used only to the extent necessary to obtain scientifically valid data and to meet registration requirements. Methods requiring fewer or no animals must be utilized whenever possible.
5. Avoidance or minimization of pain and distress in research animals is paramount. It must be considered that procedures that cause pain and distress in humans may cause pain or distress in other animal species. When pain and/or distress are unavoidable, appropriate analgesics, anesthetics, and/or non-pharmacologic approaches will be used, except in rare instances where valid scientific justification has been provided and the IACUC has concurred.
6. Prolonged physical restraint may only be approved by the IACUC, with acclimation, after alternative methods have been reviewed and found to be inadequate.
7. Only humane and appropriate methods of euthanasia may be used.
8. All personnel involved in animal care and use must have received appropriate training and/or experience in the techniques and procedures of their respective fields, as well as the ethics of animal care and use, prior to being involved in animal research at Wyeth.
9. No employee shall be discriminated against or subject to reprisal for reporting concerns, deficiencies, or violation of regulatory guidelines concerning animal welfare to Wyeth management, the IACUC or other responsible official.
10. Mistreatment of animals is a serious offense and may be grounds for immediate dismissal from employment.