Animal Research at Lawson: A Message to our Community

We hold in high regard the trust you place in us to conduct ethical research in support of health innovation that leads to excellent patient care.    

Regarding recent media coverage about research involving animals, we acknowledge how difficult this subject is. We know it evokes strong feelings and may prompt questions among staff, physicians and patients, as well as members of our community.  

The use of animals in research carries serious ethical responsibilities - responsibilities we do not take lightly. Lawson Research Institute (Lawson) of St. Joseph’s Health Care London, remains committed to ethical research at every stage of the discovery and innovation process, and to ensuring our processes align with best practices.

While several claims in the article are incorrect and do not accurately reflect the full reality of our protocols, regulatory rigour, ethical integrity, or our deeply held values, we are committed to being transparent about the purpose and importance of this work- while also respecting the confidentiality required to protect our research teams and the integrity of the research. It is work that ultimately improves the health and well-being of patients in our community and beyond.

What we want you to know:

• Regulatory bodies including Health Canada and the US Food and Drug Administration, require animal-tested protocols as proof-of-principle for efficacy and safety, before new treatments can be used in human patients.  
• Animal research is guided by ethics, science and necessity. It is undertaken only when there are no scientifically valid alternatives and when approved through rigorous ethical and regulatory processes.
• Lawson strictly adheres to national standards and independent third-party bodies, including review, approval, oversight and monitoring by bodies such as Western University’s Animal Care Committee and the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), which sets and maintains standards for care and use of animals in research.
• Research involving animals has contributed to medical advances in virtually every breakthrough in human health care – including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, surgical techniques and diagnostic imaging — many of which are core to the care provided at St. Joseph’s.
• In all studies involving animals, the well-being of the animal is a top priority. Our teams follow the internationally recognized 3 Rs of animal research:
  • Replacement: Using alternative methods when available
  • Reduction: Minimizing the number of animals used
  • Refinement: Continuously improving methods to reduce any pain or distress

Access to animal care research areas is limited to protect animal safety, the quality of research and regulatory compliance — not to hide or withhold information.  

We remain committed to transparency and will be offering education sessions in the months ahead to help our staff better understand this work and the oversight in place.

Our Commitment

St. Joseph’s and Lawson are committed to ethical and responsible research — research that aims to improve lives through medical discovery. We want to emphasize that every study is held to the highest standards of care, ethics and oversight.

Animal research continues to play a crucial role in the development of new treatments, imaging techniques, and medical devices — all of which have a direct and lasting impact on patient lives. We are committed to ensuring our processes align with best practices as well as our deeply held values.

As an academic health organization, our mission is rooted in hope, healing and discovery. The work of our researchers, guided by compassion and scientific integrity, is helping to shape the future of medicine for the benefit of patients in our region of Southwestern Ontario and around the world.