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Members of the Pacific Rim Section of AAALAC's Council on Accreditation celebrate the accreditation of the 100th organization in the region.
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AAALAC awards accreditation to the 100th institution in the Pacific Rim!
In just the last year, 17 new applicants from the Pacific Rim were awarded accreditation by AAALAC International, bringing the total in this region of the world to 100 organizations, or more than 10 percent of all global accredited institutions. The majority of newly accredited institutions from the Pacific Rim region were from the People's Republic of China, with the balance from India, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Taiwan R.O.C., Thailand, Singapore,Vietnam and the Philippines. Cambodia is the newest country added to the Pacific Rim accredited institution list this year. Congratulations to all of these organizations!
AAALAC honors Dr. Harry Rozmiarek with the Bennett J. Cohen Award
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Dr. Harry Rozmiarek (right) receives the Bennett J. Cohen Award
from AAALAC International Board Chair Dr. Michael D. Kastello. |
At its annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, AAALAC International presented its highest honor, the Bennett J. Cohen Award, to Dr. Harry Rozmiarek, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACLAM. The Bennett J. Cohen Award recognizes outstanding individuals who have provided exceptional service and significant contributions to AAALAC International, and have demonstrated a strong and abiding commitment to advancing science through the promotion of the highest standards of laboratory animal care in research, testing, and education.
Dr. Rozmiarek has made significant contributions to the mission and work of AAALAC International. He served as an ad hoc Consultant to AAALAC starting in 1971, then served on the Council on Accreditation from 1979-1988 and was the Council's Vice Chair for three of those years. Dr. Rozmiarek later served for more than a decade on AAALAC's Board for Trustees, where he held the positions of Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Chair and Chair from 2005-2009.
His contributions to the wider laboratory animal science community are many. Dr. Rozmiarek joined the University of Pennsylvania in 1987 as professor of Laboratory Animal Medicine and director of University Laboratory Animal Resources. He has also served as University Veterinarian and Associate Director of the Office of Regulatory Affairs and as director of postdoctoral residency training for veterinarians in laboratory animal medicine from 1987-2007. The recipient of numerous grants for facilities improvement, training, and research, he is currently a member of the Scientific Consultants Group for Malaria Research of the Agency for International Development (USAID). In 2004 he was appointed by the National Research Council (ILAR) as the national member and currently represents the United States on the International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (ICLAS) and was elected to the ICLAS Governing Board in 2007. Dr. Rozmiarek's contributions and leadership in laboratory animal medicine were recognized by his election as AALAS National president in 1983, president of the American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners in 1992, president of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) in 1997, and numerous other positions of leadership in these and other organizations. He was awarded the AALAS Griffin Award in 1995 and the Charles River Prize of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 1996, was appointed a Fulbright Scholar and studied at the University of Cambridge for the 2002-2003 year, and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association in 2009. Dr. Rozmiarek is author of more than 60 scientific publications and presentations and was co-recipient of the AALAS Research Award in 1980. He has published extensively in the fields of immunology, toxicology, virology and infectious disease, and laboratory animal management and husbandry. He has been a member of the Editorial Committees for the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (1995) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee Guidebook (1992 and 2002). He has served on the Editorial Advisory Committee and Scientific Review Board for the AALAS Contemporary Topics Journal, as Editor Emeritus for the Shanghai Laboratory Animal Science Journal, and referee for numerous other scientific journals. He currently serves as Professor Emeritus and Director for the University of Pennsylvania and Fox Chase Cancer Center.
Please join with us in congratulating Dr. Rozmiarek on receiving this honor!
Dr. Kathryn Bayne, Global Director of AAALAC, wins 2012 Charles River Prize
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From left to right:
Dr. Richard P. Streett, Jr., AVMF board chair, Dr. Kathryn Bayne, Dr. Marilyn Brown, Dr. Rene A. Carlson, AVMA immediate past president.
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(SAN DIEGO, Calif., from the AVMA Communications Division) August 7, 2012 -- Kathryn Bayne, MS, PhD, DVM, DACLAM, CAAB of Frederick Md. has received the 2012 Charles River Prize at the American Veterinary Medical Association's annual convention.
The AVMA honored some of the nation's top veterinarians during an awards ceremony at the association's Annual Convention in San Diego, Calif. Each recipient has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of both animals and people around the country and the globe. These individuals represent the very best in all areas of veterinary medicine, from education and public service to research and private practice.
The 2012 Charles River Prize recognizes distinguished contributions to laboratory animal science and to promote educational growth in that field.
Dr. Bayne is Global Director for the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC International). In this role she directs the accreditation program worldwide and travels extensively to advance AAALAC's accreditation program and laboratory animal welfare.
Prior to this, she worked at the National Institutes of Health leading a research program on nonhuman primate psychological well-being and environmental enrichment programs for primates, dogs, cats and swine. She has published over forty articles on the subject, is a certified applied animal behaviorist and is internationally renowned for her work in laboratory animal behavior.
Dr. Bayne has held several leadership positions including service as president of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) and the Association of Primate Veterinarians, as well as the District of Columbia Veterinary Medical Association. She is past chair of the American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Committee and was the inaugural chair of the American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioner's Animal Welfare Committee. She was the recipient of the 1993 Henry and Lois Foster Award for high score on the ACLAM certifying examination and the recipient of AALAS's prestigious Garvey award which recognizes outstanding accomplishments relating to the humane treatment of animals used in biomedical research.
Dr. Bayne is also the 2009 recipient of the American Veterinary Medical Association's Animal Welfare Award and Washington State University's 2009 Excellence in Research and Teaching Award.
Presentations from AAALAC International's second European Conference, "AAALAC International in the New European Framework," available online
Presentations from AAALAC International's second European Conference held 11 September, 2012, in Aachen, Germany are now available online. A login and password are required for viewing. If you would like to request permission to view the videos, please send an email to Dr. Javier Guillen at jguillen@AAALAC.org. Then you can login here.
Archives of AAALAC's January webinars
on implementing the new Guide now available:
CLICK HERE TO VIEW/PURCHASE THE WEBINAR FILES
AAALAC International recently hosted a series of webinars to help participants gain insight into AAALAC expectations for implementing the 8th edition of the Guide. This 4-module course covered key topics in the new edition. The four webinar modules included:
Module 1: Animal Care and Use Program
This module reviewed the key topics in Chapter 2 of the Guide; Animal Care and Use Program. The function of the IACUC was emphasized as well as institutional collaborations, personnel training, program oversight, occupational health and safety, protocol review, harm-benefit analysis, establishing humane endpoints, and unexpected outcomes and other select topics.
Module 2: Environment, Housing and Management
This module reviewed key topics in Chapter 3 of the Guide; Environment, Housing and Management. Topics of discussion included relative humidity, VAV systems, recycled air, social housing, cage and pen space, environmental enrichment and aquatics.
Module 3: Veterinary Care
This module reviewed important topics in Chapter 4 of the Guide; Veterinary Care. Key elements of this chapter included the role of the Attending Veterinarian and the overall program of veterinary care, procurement, transportation, breeding colonies, surgical training, presurgical planning, aseptic technique and intraoperative monitoring.
Module 4: Physical Plant
The final module in the series covered key topics in Chapter 5 of the Guide; Physical Plant. Topics discussed included animals in laboratories, doors, windows, floors, temperature control and failsafe, HVAC minimum function, lighting and override systems, storage, vibration, rack washer safety, environmental monitoring, surgery in laboratories, barrier facilities, imaging facilities, and behavioral studies.
Archives of the modules are available for purchase online at: http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/aaalac/
American Society of Primatologists (ASP) Primate Care Committee Statement on IOM Chimpanzee Committee Report
At the request of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and in response to congressional inquiry, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently conducted an analysis of the scientific necessity of chimpanzees for NIH-funded biomedical and behavioral research. This IOM committee issued its report on December 15, 2011, which is entitled, "Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Assessing the Necessity" (available at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13257). The report establishes criteria to guide current and future research use of chimpanzees and it suggests that an independent oversight committee be established that uses the recommended criteria. Dr. Francis Collins, Director of NIH, has indicated that he is accepting the IOM committee recommendations and will be forming a committee to advise on the implementation of the IOM committee recommendations, and other relevant issues.
Dr. Fragaszy (ASP President) has asked ASP's Primate Care Committee to provide a statement related to establishing this process. The comments are restricted to issues related to the care of chimpanzees. View ASP's comments here...
AAALAC's Expectations for Implementing the 2011 Guide;
Temporary Suggestions for Improvement
AAALAC International has determined that institutions will be granted a phase-in period to make the necessary program modifications to conform with new "must" statements in the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide), NRC 2011. For a period of one year from AAALAC’s implementation of the 2011 Guide (i.e., until September 1, 2012), new "must" statements will be categorized as a “Temporary Suggestion for Improvement.” If your institution received a Temporary Suggestion for Improvement following your most recent site visit, you must address the concern in post site visit communication, by independent correspondence, or in your Annual Report (if it is submitted prior to September 1, 2012). Although your accreditation status will not initially be impacted by findings classified as Temporary Suggestions for Improvement, Council will review your response to these items and advise if the response is satisfactory or if additional actions may be necessary. By the conclusion of this one year transition period, it is expected that corrective actions will be complete and that the issue has been resolved. Temporary Suggestions for Improvement remaining uncorrected on September 1, 2012 will be considered Mandatory items for correction in accordance with the Guide and may affect your accreditation status.
The single exception to this timetable is that the phase-in period for significant equipment replacement (such as rabbit cages to accommodate 16" cage height and nonhuman primate caging) is extended to three years (i.e., until September 1, 2014). AAALAC recognizes that, depending on the number of cages needing to be replaced, accredited institutions may not have all cages replaced to meet the 2011 Guide standards within the three year period. In such a case, the institution will be expected to provide AAALAC with a plan and a deadline for implementation of the plan. Equipment concerns not addressed and observed during the next site visit will be classified as Mandatory items for correction in accordance with the Guide.
Using the 2011 Guide in the conduct of semiannual program reviews and facility inspections
The Council on Accreditation’s implementation of AAALAC’s Three Primary Standards, including the 2011 Guide, began with site visits conducted during the Fall Trimester 2011. Institutions participating in the AAALAC International accreditation program have one year to implement changes to their animal care and use programs (i.e., September 1, 2012) related to most new "must" statements in the 2011 Guide. During this year-long period of transition, Council expects that at least one program review and facility inspection will be conducted by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (or comparable oversight body) using the 2011 Guide.
Removal of outdated Position Statement
With the publication of the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (NRC 2011), AAALAC International has determined that the Position Statement on "Multiple Major Surgical Procedures" is outdated and thus has been removed from the list of approved Position Statements (http://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/positionstatements.cfm). AAALAC notes that the 2011 Guide contains a discussion of "Multiple Survival Surgical Procedures" that includes both major and minor procedures (see pg. 30).
AAALAC adopts two new Reference Resources
Reference Resources are formally reviewed and adopted by the Council on Accreditation and assist site visitors as they evaluate animal programs. AAALAC's Council recently adopted two new Reference Resources:
AAALAC relies on Three Primary Standards for evaluating laboratory animal care and use programs: the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (Guide, NRC 2011); the Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching (Ag Guide, FASS 2010); and the European Convention for the Protection of Vertebrate Animals Used for Experimental and Other Scientific Purposes, Council of Europe (ETS 123). AAALAC also refers to other specialty publications for supplemental information about procedures or techniques related to the care and use of laboratory animals. These specialty publications are designated as Reference Resources. Reference Resources, first established by AAALAC in 1975, are intended to serve as references and guidelines for laboratory animal care and use programs. To view the entire list of Reference Resources visit: http://www.aaalac.org/accreditation/resources.cfm