Animal-health pharmaceuticals: research responsibilities and efforts in target animal safety and laboratory animal welfare.

As researchers in animal health, we are charged with numerous responsibilities. Among the greatest of these are ensuring the safety and effectiveness of the products we develop and the appropriate use of animals in our research efforts. The following discussion focuses primarily on the demonstration of drug safety in the species for which the product is to be licensed or registered (target animal safety) in the USA, and on our role as stewards of animal welfare in laboratory research.