Overview
- The NIH officially closed its last in-house beagle experimentation lab in Bethesda, Maryland, as confirmed by Director Jay Bhattacharya on May 5, 2025.
- Over 2,100 beagles were subjected to septic shock experiments at the lab since 1986, as revealed by watchdog group White Coat Waste Project in 2016.
- The closure aligns with Trump administration policies at the FDA and EPA to phase out animal testing in favor of human-based and technological research models.
- Animal rights groups, including PETA and White Coat Waste, praised the move as a major victory, though calls continue to end NIH-funded animal experiments globally.
- The decision follows bipartisan outrage over NIH-funded external abuse cases and the 2024 Envigo puppy mill scandal, which highlighted systemic issues in animal research.