Remembering Former AMP Board Chair Dr. John Young, VMD, MS, DACLAM
All of us at Americans for Medical Progress, employees and board members alike, are mourning the loss of former AMP Board of Directors Chair Dr. John Young, VMD, MS, DACLAM. For several years, John played a pivotal and transformative role in AMP’s efforts. He died on Sunday, March 19th at the age of 65.
John served as AMP’s Board chair for over a decade, from 2001 to 2012 after he initially accepted a role on the board in 1999. In addition to guiding the organization for many years, including the turbulent 2007 – 2008 global financial crisis, he assisted in the development of several exciting new initiatives created to support and protect biomedical research. He also played a prominent role in AMP’s advocacy programs on several occasions. Many of you have likely viewed his guided video tour of the Cedars Sinai Medical Center animal care facility that John managed for many years. The video was viewed as a transformative step forward for lab animal education. It was initially distributed by AMP on DVD. Nowadays, you can also find it on AMP’s YouTube channel and at other online locations as well. AMP’s YouTube upload has achieved over 100,000 views and continues to garner more each year. John also regularly spoke with school students about the necessary role of animals in ensuring continued medical advancements.
As for John’s academic and professional career, after graduating from Penn State in 1979, he attended veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania. He then moved to Los Angeles where he worked at the Sepulveda VA Medical Center as Director of the Animal Research facility. He arrived at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in 1989 where he served in a variety of roles and eventually retired in 2021 as Executive Director of Comparative Medicine and Assistant Dean of Education.
He served for many years in a number of leadership roles for the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS). He was also the recipient of several honors and awards including the President’s Award at Cedars Sinai and the Special Contributions Award at VAMC Long Beach. He authored peer reviewed publications, presented at international conferences and even helped found the POOCH (Pet Therapy) program at Cedars Sinai.
As we remember John, we again thank him for all of his outstanding contributions to laboratory animal medicine and public education. A memorial page with additional information about John containing photos and a chance to post memories can be found at this link. We invite you to join us in honoring him and his lasting legacy.
Webinar to Summarize New Report on Status of Animal Rights Movement, Advice for Research Organizations
The Federation for American Societies for Experimental Biology is hosting a webinar on April 12 to summarize a new report on the current status of the animal rights movement and strategies for protecting current and future studies. The report was authored by Americans for Medical Progress, FASEB, the Foundation for Biomedical Research and the National Association for Biomedical Research. It’s titled Animal Research Activism: Update and Recommendations to Promote Communication, Transparency, and Public Outreach About Animal Research and can be downloaded at this link.
During the free, one-hour webinar, representatives from all four author organizations will collaboratively:
- Examine both new and longstanding tactics employed by animal rights groups.
- Propose proactive and reactive strategies (communications, legislative, etc.) to counter the damaging impacts of animal rights campaigns.
- Offer recommendations to improve or expand communications, education and public outreach about animal research.
Registration information
Click this link to register for this presentation which will be followed by a Q&A session.
AMP, FASEB, FBR, NABR Release Report Guidance to Help Counter Animal Activism
A new report authored by Americans for Medical Progress, FASEB, the Foundation for Biomedical Research and the National Association for Biomedical Research provides updates and advice aimed at countering animal rights activism and the serious threat it poses to future progress. The document is titled “Animal Research Activism: Update and Recommendations to Promote Communication, Transparency, and Public Outreach About Animal Research.” It was created to educate the animal research community about the evolving threat of animal rights activism, encourage stakeholders to improve communication/outreach efforts and provide specific advice in doing so.
The report is organized into three main areas:
- An examination of both new and longstanding tactics employed by animal rights groups.
- Some proposed proactive and reactive strategies (communications, legislative, etc.) to counter the damaging impacts of animal rights campaigns.
- Specific recommendations to improve or expand communication, education and public outreach about animal research.
A full copy of the report can be downloaded at this link.
AMP Statement on the Continued Need for Nonhuman Primate Research and Challenges Created by Accusations of Illegal Monkey Smuggling
March 16, 2023
Recent denials of federal import permits for long-tailed macaque monkeys from Cambodia, following allegations of an animal-smuggling ring in that country, are placing future biomedical progress in jeopardy. This is because approximately 60 percent of long-tailed macaques that are imported into the U.S. for the development of new medications and other health interventions currently come from Cambodia.
Comments from Americans for Medical Progress on the FDA Modernization Act
February 1, 2023
Included are a few statements related to the passing of the FDA Moderization Act:
- It is important to note that before the FDA Modernization Act was passed, the Food and Drug Administration already had tremendous discretion when it comes to the use of both animal and nonanimal alternatives in the critically important task of safety testing new medications prior to their approved use in humans.
- The FDA has always required drug developers to provide evidence that safety and efficacy has been shown. And while the previous version of the law referenced the use of animal studies to do this, it did not expressly require them. This is a claim that has been put forward by animal research opponents but is not actually reflected in the law’s prior language.
- In essence, the FDA Modernization Act made relatively minor changes to the existing statute. These edits added and expanded references to nonanimal alternatives, technologies that did not exist in any great extent when the previous law was written.
- While these updates to the law will not lead to transformative changes to the biomedical research process, passage of the FDA Modernization Act will likely increase dialogue amongst scientists, Congress and the public about the development and funding for new methods to test medications before they approval for human use.
Americans for Medical Progress Statement on Ongoing Misinformation Campaign Targeting the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
October 28, 2021
Efforts by a collection of animal rights organizations this week to mislead the public about critical health research in animals is nothing less than appalling. These groups have essentially accused the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of “medieval torture.” However, as the Washington Post noted, “The only thing being tortured here is the truth.” So many critical facts were missing or purposefully misconstrued by activists, it’s no wonder people are upset. Here are just a few of the important details that were left out:
● The research took place in dogs because much of the work was focused on developing dog vaccines to combat leishmaniasis, a dangerous parasitic disease that threatens both canines and humans. One must logically study dogs in order to develop dog medications. To suggest otherwise is nonsensical.
● An additional reason why leishmaniasis research occurs in canines is because the disease frequently uses dogs as disease hosts. It then jumps to humans via sand fly bites. This demonstrates again why creating a vaccine for dogs is so critically important.
● There are significant factual errors in the claims circulated by animal activists. One of the three research projects that was criticized was never funded by the NIAID or the NIH. As a result, the photo of research animals under mosquito netting that appeared in nearly all the news coverage was also highly misleading.
● Regarding the research that was funded by the NIH, records show extensive steps were taken to ensure the animals involved in studies did not suffer. They were not “eaten alive” by flies as activists have falsely claimed.
Americans for Medical Progress Statement on Research Animal Adoptions and Retirements
August 3, 2022
On occasion, news events generate public questions about the retirement or adoption of animals previously involved in biomedical research that advances both human and veterinary medicine. Below is a statement from Americans for Medical Progress to provide important information and context.
In most cases, animals involved in biomedical research must be humanely euthanized to obtain critical data being sought to improve human and animal health. However, when this is not necessary, Americans for Medical Progress fully supports the retirement and adoption of research animals, whenever possible. In fact, many scientific organizations in the United States have already established their own adoption/retirement policies and procedures to ensure their animals are well cared for after studies are completed.
Wayne State University Scientist Awarded ACNP-AMP BRAD Fellowship to Educate the Public About the Role of Animals in Brain and Behavior Research
August 3, 2022
Lana Ruvolo Grasser, Ph.D., a research associate at Wayne State University has been awarded the ACNP-AMP BRAD Fellowship. The fellowship is a partnership between the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and the health research advocacy group Americans for Medical Progress (AMP). It was created to help raise public awareness about the essential role of animals in health research, specifically for the study of brain-behavior-drug interactions and advancements in psychopharmacology, the study of medications for treating mental disorders. Fellowship winners also help promote careers in the field of neuropsychopharmacology, the study of all forms of mental illness and their treatment.
AMP Statement on the Continued Need for Animal Studies in Dogs in Light of Highly Publicized Canine Breeding Facility Closure
July 21, 2022
News coverage of the closure of a Virginia facility that breeds dogs for human and veterinary health research has prompted numerous questions from the public. Many Americans want to know why research in canines takes place, how often these studies occur and why there are no alternatives. Below is a statement from Americans for Medical Progress in response to some of the most commonly asked questions.
Studies in dogs frequently help ensure new medications developed for human and animal use are safe and do not pose serious health risks. We simply must be as certain as possible that the medicines we ingest or provide to our loved ones will not cause harm. But research in dogs is far from the first step in this incredibly important process. These tests typically begin in cell cultures and in computer models. Once these non-animal assessments are completed and initial safety indications are met, tests in rodents then take place. Barring any problems in these small animal models, an assessment in a larger animal species comes next. When this step is finally reached, dogs are often required because canines provide highly meaningful data that has been clearly shown to translate to human health use.
Americans for Medical Progress Statement on Monkeypox Outbreak
June 1, 2022
Infectious disease outbreaks are serious public health issues. Therefore, at-risk individuals should be informed of all disease outbreaks. This applies to the seasonal flu and also unique, new disease challenges, such as COVID-19. In every case, two critical factors should always be weighed by the public: the seriousness of the disease for those who become infected and the transmissibility risk. Monkeypox can and has caused serious disease in previous outbreaks, such as a small cluster of cases in Wisconsin in 2003. However, it does not spread anywhere as easily as other infectious diseases. This is why vaccination and quarantine have been highly effective in controlling past outbreaks. We firmly believe it’s highly likely the current cases that have arisen in the United States can also be resolved using these same tested tools.