Our Mission…
The International Foundation for Ethical Research, founded in 1985, is dedicated to supporting the development and implementation of scientifically valid alternatives that refine, reduce, or replace the use of live animals in research, product testing, and classroom education.

The International Foundation for Ethical Research is dedicated to the belief that through new technologies and diligent research, combined with personal and professional accountability we can find scientific solutions that will create a better world for us all…without utilizing non-human animals.

IFER seeks to fulfill its mission by awarding research grants to scientists who are developing credible alternatives and to post-graduate students seeking to incorporate animal welfare issues into their studies. In addition, IFER disseminates information designed to increase awareness of alternatives through seminars, publications, and workshops.

The Importance of Responsibility
The Scientific Community has generally accepted the three “R’s” philosophy toward animal research, which stands for:

REFINEMENT – improvement that minimizes the pain, suffering and stress of animals used in research

REDUCTION – a decrease in the number of animals used while enhancing the quality and yield of information.

REPLACEMENT – scientifically valid substitutions for current live animal methodologies.

Real progress toward creating animal-free laboratories will come as more researchers strengthen their commitment to this philosophy.
But we need to go even further in acknowledging the moral imperative in pursuing animal-free research. That is why IFER calls for a fourth – and critically important – “R”:

RESPONSIBILITY – to both human and nonhuman animals.