World's Largest Science Fair Now 'Strongly' Endorses Non-Animal Tests

New Policy Follows Discussions With PETA

For Immediate Release:
June 3, 2010

Contact:
Shalin Gala 757-622-7382

Washington -- Following nearly two years of discussions with the Society for Science & the Public (SSP), PETA is applauding the nonprofit science organization for taking a step to modernize its regulations for the world's largest pre-college science competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. According to a new policy, SSP now "strongly endorses the use of non-animal research methods and encourages students to use alternatives to animal research."

"The days of grabbing mice and rats and trying out a theory on them in order to vie for a science prize are over--there is no place for that kind of abuse in a technologically sophisticated modern age," says PETA Vice President of Laboratory Investigations Kathy Guillermo. "SSP has taken a step forward by strongly endorsing the use of non-animal research methods, and PETA will continue to encourage a total ban on all animal experiments."

Under the new rules, SSP now encourages alternatives to the kinds of projects it accepted without question in recent years such as addicting animals to cocaine, inflicting brain injury in animals, injecting animals with toxic chemicals, and inducing stroke in animals and then cutting them open. Some students reported to PETA that they were told by mentors that they must use animals in their projects, even though they were opposed to doing so.

PETA is urging SSP to adopt guidelines used by other major science fairs. The San Francisco Bay Area Science Fair, for example, prohibits students from entering any projects that use animals into the competition unless the projects are strictly observational and nonharmful.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.