In 2005, AFAAR founder Ethel Thurston, PhD, passed away after decades of service to animals and science. AFAAR has since been revitalized by her chosen successor, Theodora Capaldo, EdD, continuing the longstanding partnership between these two women and their shared vision. AFAAR works collaboratively with several organizations whose mission to end the use of animals in science allows for cooperative programs and work. Dr. Capaldo was appointed AFAAR Trustee in 2005 and continues the pioneering work of AFAAR in Dr. Thurston's memory.
Among the organization's many acocmplishments, AFAAR first helped make history by funding a landmark alternative to the infamous Draize rabbit eye test, later adopted by some major product and cosmetics companies. Over the years, AFAAR has funded alternatives worldwide, including more than 300 human tissue culture tests to replace toxicity and other testing on animals. AFAAR was also instrumental in funding several scientists whose work led to the availability of testing methods that can replace the use of animals in all areas of cosmetic and toxicity testing.
AFAAR has funded a wide and encompassing range of research involving the use, development, or validation of alternatives. Our last program was a Fellowship Grant for Alternatives to Animal Research in Human Health and Sex Differences in Health and Disease. The award supported postdoctoral women in science who are committed to using, developing, or validating alternatives to animal research in the field of human health or sex differences. The goal was twofold: to develop, validate and put into use alternatives to animals; and, to show that even sex differences between human men and women can lead to different research results for each. Refining the focus of research to alternatives that illustrate these sex differences casts a glowing light on how flawed using different species is to try to extrapolate information from a mouse, rat or monkey, etc. to humans. The studies that resulted from these post-doctoral research grants helped point the way to scientific and societal insistence that the only truly valid research into human health and disease is the use of human-based research. This scientific fact will inevitably lead to ending the use of myriad species of animals for the purported benefit of humans. The inevitable result will be humane and better science.
In addition, AFAAR has committed to helping those organizaiotns and sanctuaries now caring for the very animals that have been rescued from such harmful use. Included is the stellar work of Animals Asia, the organization that has successfully ended the use of bears on bile farms in Viet Nam, 2026, and continues to work on ending thier use in China and other Southeast Asia countries. The bile has been used in traditional Eastern medicines and can be effectively replaced by herbal formulas with the same benefits. Hundreds of bears now reside at the Viet Nam and China sanctuaries being provided exemplary care. Animals Asia has programs throughout Asia and in the schools on the medicinal effectiveness of herbal formulas. AFAAR has also partnered with Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, providing funding for their veterinary and vet tech on site training. Replacing the harmful lessons of worldwide veterinanry training programs with hands on skills and exposure to veterinary training that that benefits the animals involved as well as the students. AFAAR has also helped sanctuaries currently home to the hundreds of chimpanzees rescued from US research, a campaign that invovled AFAAR from its outset. AFAAR has provided fudning for computerized veterinary training programs, where no animal is harmed so as to teach future veterinarians how to care for animals.The program is used worldwide.
AFAAR's joint project with We Animals is a free outreach tool to help everyone learned about what is wrong with animal use and how to end it and replace it with more effective cruelty free science. Please visit: Gold Doesn't Rust: the Failing Standard of Animal Testing and its Alternatives (23:17 minutes YouTube)