Coalition to Illuminate and Address Animal Methods Bias (COLAAB)

Animal methods bias is a newly defined type of publishing bias describing a preference for animal-based methods where they may not be necessary or where nonanimal-based methods may already be suitable, which not only has ethical, time, and cost implications, but also affects the translatability of findings to humans. It may also have career consequences, causing delays in publication or forcing authors to publish in lower impact journals, or by leading early-stage researchers to pursue animal methods because of the impression that they must do so in order to publish and progress their careers. Following an April 2022 workshop that gathered stakeholders from publishing, academia, industry, government, and non-governmental organizations to discuss animal methods bias in scientific publishing, a coalition was formed to develop strategies to address this phenomenon. The Coalition to Illuminate and Address Animal Methods Bias (COLAAB) is an international coalition of researchers and advocates from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Humane Society International, Animal Free Research UK, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and others. Within the COLAAB, the Mitigation Working Group aims to (1) develop and implement tools and tactics to mitigate animal methods bias and (2) engage journals, funders, institutions, editors, authors, and early-career researchers about this issue. The Evidence Working Group aims to (1) collect and analyze data and evidence about animal methods bias and (2) describe animal methods bias and its causes, impacts, and importance to the broader scientific community.