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Advancing Support and Understanding of Biomedical Research ANNUAL REPORT 2019 1 “My own experience of over 60 years in biomedical research amply demonstrated that without the use of animals and of human beings, it would have been impossible to acquire the important knowledge needed to prevent much suffering and premature death not only among humans but also among animals.” Albert Sabin For people, for animals, for the common good Annual Report 2019 Dear Colleagues, 2019 was a successful year at the Foundation for Biomedical Research. We educated teachers, veterinarians, pet owners and the public about humane and ethical animal research through social outreach, media opportunities and our ongoing “Love Animals? Support Animal Research” (LASAR) educational campaign. FBR’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages had over 1 million impressions combined. We revamped our website by updating three of our most trafficked pages. We’ll continue to strategically update our webpages to boost traffic and increase visibility of our mission. We tripled our media coverage in newspapers and online news sites from 2018 to 2019. I was able to share our message in op-eds in outlets such as STAT News and Investor’s Business Daily. The research community is in support of our LASAR campaign. 2 FBR has distributed more than 50,000 LASAR brochures, including FBR is dedicated to 3 hundreds in the Spanish and French-Canadian languages in 2019. improving human and We also released an updated version of our Animal Research: animal health by Perceptions vs. Reality brochure in 2019. promoting public Our educational materials made a splash at five national understanding and conferences the FBR team attended in 2019. support for biomedical As we look to the future, FBR wants to increase support for animal research among the veterinary community and reach more research and science educators. We will update our educational materials and illuminating the with tailor our communication efforts to reach this goal. essential role of animal I want to thank all our partners and donors for their continued research and testing support and encouragement. FBR would not be able to educate in health outcomes. the public about animal research without you. We wish you a safe and healthy 2020, despite all the challenges COVID-19 has presented. Undoubtedly animal research will be crucial to the development of treatments and vaccines. I hope you knowledge join us and follow along for what’s in store this coming year. comes better aging Matthew R. Bailey President, Foundation for Biomedical Research health longevity life Foundation for Biomedical Research Annual Report 2019 Debunked the Cell cultures and computer impact models cannot replace a complex living organism of research in biomedical research. 4 5 Veterinarians, patients, doctors, and animals benefit from animal research every day. 130 million adults and 20 million children in the U.S. are living FBR’s Love Animals? Support Animal Research (LASAR) In 2019, FBR released an updated version of its Animal with a chronic disease, and millions more are at risk. Scientists campaign, launched in 2017, continued to be successful in Research: Perceptions vs. Reality brochure, with more and medical experts are hard at work to find treatments and cures for diseases and to 2019. The Foundation for Biomedical Research distributed than 40,000 copies distributed since it was released. safeguard public health. They are lovers of animals, the environment, and nature. The more than 50,000 LASAR brochures and hundreds of We also translated the updated Perceptions brochure Foundation for Biomedical Research is giving voice to these scientists who constantly the new Spanish language and French-Canadian language in Spanish with hundreds of copies distributed. This balance a desire to conduct superior research while also tending to the animals in their LASAR brochures. The brochure now has more than brochure debunks several myths including the very care by educating the public about the importance of research and the role of animal 200 sponsors. We also placed more than 20,000 LASAR- common myth, embraced by animal rights activists, models in science. branded materials—including phone wallets, magnets, according to which cell cultures and computer models stickers, tote bags, and T-shirts—in the hands of high can replace a complex living organism in biomedical school science teachers, veterinarians, veterinary research. In the pages that follow, we will demonstrate technicians, and pet owners, as well as patients across how our media outreach—both traditional media the country and their loved ones. We came a step closer and social media—reinforces our LASAR campaign to our goal of educating everyone about the importance and our efforts to debunk common myths about of humane and ethical animal research. animal research. Foundation for Biomedical Research Annual Report 2019 4 Our LASAR brochure impressions is now available in first three languages: English, Spanish, and Canadian-French. FBR aims to promote understanding and support for biomedical research by putting our educational materials in the hands of the public. 50K LASAR brochures 6 In 2019, we distributed 7 more than 50,000 ‘Love Animals? Support Animal Research’ brochures. We 1 debuted the Spanish and FBR’s LASAR T-shirts Canadian-French versions are back! The T-shirts of the ‘Love Animals? are a great way to show Support Animal Research’ your support for animal research. brochure and distributed hundreds Spanish and Canadian-French brochures. 2 From decals to stickers, we offer plenty of fun ways IN TOTAL, IT’S CALLED PROGRESS to support our LASAR campaign. 5 We distributed 20,000 new Having a drink? Grab ‘Love Animals? Support a LASAR coaster! Each Animal Research’- branded one has a different fact materials including T-shirts, about animal research! phone wallets, magnets, stickers and tote bags. 6 3 This handy phone Introducing our wallet allows you to file NEW canine research your ID and credit card infographics that in your phone while demonstrate the ways supporting LASAR. in which animal research benefits dogs. Foundation for Biomedical Research Annual Report 2019 public education Video Mini-Series In 2019 we debuted our video mini- series, ‘THE ROLE OF ANIMALS IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH,’ with five videos released on YouTube in 2019. Video #2: The Importance of The series is ongoing in 2020. Here are Rodent Research the top three videos released in 2019. 16,500 views 8 9 7 We released an updated version of our ‘Animal Video #1: Three Human Disease that Video #3: Myths vs Reality Part 2 Research: Perceptions vs. Reality’ brochure Zebrafish Have Helped Treat 24,800 views and we translated it in Spanish later in the year. 6,500 views We distributed more than 40,000 English 95% brochures and hundreds rats, mice, and of Spanish brochures. other rodents Research In addition to our video mini-series, we also by Species continued to distribute our weekly SmartBrief in 2019. On average, 25% of our 9,000 SmartBrief subscribers opened each SmartBrief issue, with 3.25% clicking through the SmartBrief from fruit4% flies, zebra fish, and others 8 top to bottom. These numbers are higher than Grab one of our the national SmartBrief average. Signing up for new tote bags to carry all your new the FBR SmartBrief is free and easy. FBR materials! Visit fbresearch.org/smartbrief to sign up today! cats,>1% dogs, and monkeys We have more than doubled our YouTube channel views between 2018 and 2019 as part of our enhanced focus on digital media. Read more about our digital media efforts on the next page. >> Foundation for Biomedical Research Annual Report 2019 In the News We tripled our media coverage in newspapers and online news websites between 2018 and 2019. We had 40 media placements in newspapers and online news websites in 2018. We had 137 such placements in 2019. Notable media coverage includes: STAT News : : 08.30.19 ‘Animal Activists Are on the Wrong Side of the Fight Against AIDS’ by FBR President Matthew Bailey 10 11 WEBSITE 2019 In 2019 we revamped our website, focusing on The Boston Globe : : 08.22.19 the three webpages that get the most traffic: our ‘Doctors gain essential homepage, our About Us page, and our Animal experience in training on live Research page. Our total FBR website views in animals’ by FBR Board Member 2019: 325,914 Carol Scheman tracking the impact Homepage: Total 38,493 views About Us page: Total 5,938 views MEASURING AND MONITORING Animal Research page: Total 5,926 views The Food and Drug Administration approval of the first Ebola The Associated Press : : virus vaccine in December 2019 was a reminder of the role 05.02.19 animal models have—in the case of the Ebola vaccine, mice ‘A Ferret Could Save Your Life. and nonhuman primate models—in biomedical research to impressions Seriously’ by FBR President keep people healthy around the world. As we demonstrate in our Love Animals? Support Animal Research campaign, Twitter Matthew Bailey impressions animal research benefits more than humans. It also benefits 392,900 our furry friends—and wildlife! Facebook • Vaccines and pain medicines for cats and dogs were 510,000 Investor’s Business Daily developed thanks to animal research. Researchers have impressions been able to develop treatments for feline kidney failure 169,000 YouTube : : 01.02.19 ‘Public Health Still Depends on and canine cancers thanks to biomedical research using animal models. Animal Research’ by FBR • Animal research helps scientists understand diseases President Matthew Bailey that plague wildlife, and their findings help implement effective wildlife conservation strategies. Foundation for Biomedical Research Annual Report 2019 ways to donate to FBR • Visit www.fbresearch.org/donate and make a one-time gift or a recurring monthly gift. • Use the giving envelope enclosed in this annual report.