AR-News: ACT NOW: Sickened Beagles Are NOT Inventions

[AAVS]

Write to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and politely urge them to
allow the AAVS Request for Reexamination of the patent on beagles!

FROM: American Anti-Vivisection Society, www.StopAnimalPatents.org
<http://www.StopAnimalPatents.org>

DEADLINE FOR ACTION: May 15

BACKGROUND: 

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PATENTS SICKENED BEAGLES: AAVS FILES LEGAL CHALLENGE TO
REVOKE PATENT 

In 1999, experimenters at the University of Texas 'successfully' rendered 31
beagles to be immunocompromised in order to 'mimic' humans who suffer from
secondary lung infections due to weakened immune systems brought about by
diseases such as AIDS or as a result of chemotherapy. Although similar
experiments have been conducted on other animals, such as mice and rabbits,
the researchers claimed theirs was the first type of experiment performed on
a "large animal." 

The dogs were dosed daily with steroids and were exposed to various levels
of total body irradiation to essentially destroy their immune systems, a
process which entailed putting dogs in a box and exposing them to high doses
of radiation. After several weeks, the beagles who survived were exposed to
a mold through a tube down their throats, allowing for a localized infection
in one lung lobe. The 'inventors' consider the beagle patent a "testing
vehicle" through which they can learn more about respiratory fungal
infections. It is also a money maker for the experimenters, since they have
licensed the use of the patent to Sandra Technology, Inc., a for-profit
company in Texas. 

The American Anti-Vivisection Society along with the International Center
for Technology Assessment, a non-profit group that works to address the
impacts of technology on human health, animal welfare, and the environment,
has formally filed a legal action requesting that the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) rescind patent no. 6,444,872, which covers live
beagles and the several methods used to infect them with a fatal fungal
infection in their lungs. The Request for Re-Examination was submitted
personally to the Patent Office on February 25, 2004. The intent of this
beagle patent to make dogs sick in order to generate a profit is clear, and
AAVS aims to end the notion that animals are 'objects' that can be patented.
To learn more, visit: www.StopAnimalPatents.org
<http://www.StopAnimalPatents.org>

Please contact the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and tell them that you
support the Request for Re-Examination of patent no. 6,444,872. Tell them
that beagles and other animals are not "machines" or "compositions of
matter." Written letters sent via regular mail are the best mode to contact
officials to assure that your correspondence is fully considered and kept on
file. John Dudas, Acting Director, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Mail
Stop Comments ‚ Patents, Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

Also, please contact the President of the University of Texas and
respectfully urge him and the Board of Regents to withdraw their patent
#6,444,872. Tell them that beagles and other animals are not "machines" or
"compositions of matter." Written letters sent via regular mail are the best
mode to contact officials to assure that your correspondence is fully
considered and kept on file. Be sure to note if you are an alumnus of the
University and ask others to do so as well. Larry R. Faulkner, President,
The University of Texas at Austin, Office of the President, Main Building,
G3400, 1 University Station, Austin, Texas 78712: fax: (512)471-8102.
 


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