Find Cruelty-Free Health Charities (NAPSA)—With thousands of charities clamoring for donations each year, it can be tricky determining which are most worthy of your contribution. Donors sometimes check a charity’s financial statements to ensure that donations aren’t wasted. A recent survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, however, reveals that Americans are demanding other kindsof information as well. The survey showed that nearly 70 percent of Americans prefer donating to health charities that don’t use animals to conduct important medical research. How is a donor supposed to figure out which health charities fund ani- mal experiments and which don’t? Fortunately, a unique program—the Humane Charity Seal of Approval—does just that. The Humane Seal identifies those organizations that fund vital patient services or cutting-edge medical research without the use of animals. The Humane Charity Seal of Approval was developed in 2001 by the Council on Humane Giving, a coalition of physician and animal protection groups. Its goal is to help Americans find charities that match their values. Using the “cruelty-free” symbol of a rabbit, similar to the one found on many shampoos and other personal care products, the Seal makes it easy for donors to quickly determine if they wantto donateto that charity. The Council only certifies those health charities that guarantee they do not fund or conduct animal experiments. It has awarded the HumaneSeal to nearly 250 health charities over the past four years; among them are organizations that study the causes of birth defects, conduct cancer research, help people with AIDS andvictims of natural disasters and provide services for the disabled. Humane Seal charities either fund patient services or use a growing array of non-animal research methods, including computer-based modeling and simulation, clinical research, andcell or tissue cultures. The Council on Humane Giving is administered by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting preventive medicine, especially good nutrition, and higher standards in medical education and research. Because PCRM administers the Seal as a public service, there is never a chargefor certification. For a current list of Humane Seal charities and more information about alternatives to the use of animals in medical research, you can visit www.Humane Seal.org or call PCRM at 202-686- 2210, ext. 306.
