Survey Finds Strong Support For Biomedical Animal Research

News provided by

Oregon Voices for Biomedical Research

Jul 13, 2026, 08:57 ET

BEAVERTON, Ore., July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Oregon Voices for Biomedical Research (OVBR) – a nonprofit advocacy group of veterinarians, scientists, healthcare professionals and concerned Oregonians – today released the results of an independent poll demonstrating the majority of Americans support animal-based research to allow for continued human and animal health advancements. The survey was conducted by Ipsos, a global market research and polling company.

The poll of over 2,000 US adults found that more than 60% of people – roughly 3 out of 5 – support the use of animals in biomedical research when under the direct supervision of veterinary staff. In contrast, only 13% of people oppose such research. The survey finds that humane and regulated animal research for human disease is still widely accepted, and strict opposition is a minority view.

When considering alternatives, the majority of people (53%) agreed that the use of animals is acceptable when no reliable animal-free methods are available, and 51% agreed that such research should continue until those alternatives are proven as good or better than biomedical animal research; respectively, only one in five (20%) disagreed with these statements. Additionally, as artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly applied to biomedical science, less than one-third (29%) of US Adults agreed AI is currently capable of replacing biomedical animal research.

Three in five adults surveyed (63%) also strongly/somewhat disagree with using humans (including pregnant women and children) as biomedical test subjects instead of animals, while 15% of people somewhat or strongly agree. Slightly less than one in three (30%) US adults agreed they would volunteer for studies to test a medicine's safety.

These data support continuing biomedical research at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC), which operates under strict veterinary and federal oversight. When asked which health problems are acceptable for studies with animals where no other method exists, respondents prioritized diseases that form the core of those studied at ONPRC including: rare genetic diseases, brain and nervous system conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's disease, as well as infectious diseases such as HIV, malaria and flu.

Infographics and more information can be found at:
https://savescienceoregon.org/poll

Detailed survey results and methodology from the Ispos conducted survey can be found at:
https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/most-americans-support-vet-supervised-animal-research

Oregon Voices for Biomedical Research (OVBR) is a nonprofit advocacy group of veterinarians, scientists, healthcare professionals and concerned Oregonians. We believe that ethical, medically relevant biomedical animal research–like that conducted at the ONPRC–is essential for protecting human and animal health, and for maintaining US competitiveness in health innovation. OVBR is responding to recent political pressure to close the ONPRC, a world-class institution founded in 1962 that performs research on the most complicated and impactful diseases. It is OVBR's position that the move to a closure is based on anti-science politics rather than evidence and public interest. A closure risks the welfare of animals at the center, our national and international scientific standing, and the economic viability of Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), the region, and the state. While some members of OVBR are employees of OHSU or ONPRC, they are not speaking out in any official capacity related to that employment, but as private citizens concerned about threats to biomedical research.

Want to Learn More?

Please visit SaveScienceOregon.org for:

Factual data and myth-busting regarding the necessity of biomedical research.
Testimonials from veterinarians and scientists, and from patients whose lives have been impacted by ONPRC's work.
Sending tailored messages to federal and state officials to advocate for the center's survival.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Diana Gordon, OVBR