About Us: Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing

CAAT USA
The Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), founded in 1981, is part of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, with a European branch (CAAT-Europe) located at the University of Kostanz, Germany. 

We promote humane science by supporting the creation, development, validation, and use of alternatives to animals in research, product safety testing, and education. We seek to effect change by working with scientists in industry, government, and academia to find new ways to replace animals with non-animal methods, reduce the numbers of animals necessary, or refine methods to make them less painful or stressful to the animals involved.

CAAT Vision/Mission Statement

Vision
To be the leading force in the development and use of reduction, refinement, and replacement alternatives in research, testing, and education to protect and enhance the health of the public.

Mission

1. Promote and support research in the development of in vitro and other alternative techniques.
2. Serve as a forum to foster discussion among diverse groups leading to creative approaches to facilitate acceptance and implementation of alternatives.
3. Provide reliable information on the science, philosophy, and public policy of alternatives to academia, government, industry and the general public.
4. Educate and train in the application of alternatives.

* Alternatives are defined as new methods that refine existing tests by minimizing animal distress, reduce animal usage, or replace whole animal tests.
** Adopted by the CAAT Advisory Board, November 1997.