In addition to the authority given to the United States Department of Agriculture, federal law authorized the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service to regulate the care and use of animals in research. The Health Research Extension Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-158, November 20, 1985) provides the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Director of the National Institutes of Health, the authority to establish guidelines for proper care and treatment of animals used in biomedical and behavioral research. The policies and procedures developed under this law apply to all research supported in whole or in part with Public Health Service funds, including the National Institutes of Health.

Please see the Memorandum of Understanding Among The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concerning laboratory animal welfare for additional information on how these major federal agencies work together.