Humane Treatment of Laboratory Animals

Our mission is to create and deliver innovative healthcare solutions, developed in collaboration with medical professionals, which enhance the quality of life for patients and improve outcomes for our customers and shareholders. To ensure the highest level of care, we are committed to developing, testing and providing training on the safe and effective use of new and improved medical technologies. Whenever possible, inanimate methods and models are used for these purposes. When objectives concerning safety and efficacy of medical technologies cannot be adequately addressed through these alternatives, it may become necessary to use laboratory animals. The use of animals to ensure safe and effective technology ultimately minimizes risks to all patients during clinical treatment.

It is our commitment, policy and highest priority to treat laboratory animals humanely and with respect. Lab sessions are conducted only after the appropriate Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval is obtained. We require that all sponsored sessions are conducted in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act (Title 7 United States Code Section 2131 et. seq.) and the National Academy of Sciences Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

Our position is supported by regulatory standards regarding the use of laboratory animals in the process of developing new drugs and medical devices. Additionally, we comply with guidelines stating the need for animal studies prior to any human exposure as outlined in the World Medical Association's Declaration of Helsinki, Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects.

As a worldwide leader in healthcare products, we hold ourselves to the highest standards for the evaluation, development and implementation of alternative teaching and training modalities.