The Role of Animal Experimentation in Endangering Species
On May 19th we celebrated Endangered Species Day, dedicated to learning about and taking action to protect endangered and threatened species. 2023 also marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark Endangered Species Act—a silver lining in the face of a sixth mass extinction. The Endangered Species Act (ESA): Establishes protections for wildlife (including fish) and […]
The Animal Welfare Act Protects Animals, Right?
Few federal laws are considered household names. One of these is the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The AWA was the first United States federal law to regulate animals used in research. The law was initially called the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act (1966) and was enacted to combat theft of pets to be sold into research. […]
Join Us for World Day for Animals in Laboratories
Today, April 24th, is World Day for Animals in Laboratories—a day for honest and open discussion about the suffering animals experience in laboratories. And make no doubt, animals in labs do suffer every day of their lives. Having worked at the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Army for more than a decade, I have […]
FDA Modernization Act and Beyond: Updates from the FY2023 Omnibus Bill and Accompanying Report Language
You may have heard that on December 29th President Biden signed the FY2023 Omnibus bill. This $1.7 trillion spending package includes some major wins for human health, animals, and the planet. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 is what we view as one of the most significant inclusions in the bill, and one of the biggest […]
It’s Time to Modernize Medical Science
Stacked away in my basement is an old 8-track cassette player that I used as a kid in the late 1970’s. I keep it to remind me how far science can advance if there is the will to do so. The 8-tracks first hit the market in the mid-1960’s and were considered state of the […]
A Poignant Last Act by Congressman Alcee Hastings
Earlier this month, Congressman Alcee Hastings, a Democrat from Florida, died from pancreatic cancer. My heart goes out to Hastings and his family for what they must have surely gone through. I know just how terrible pancreatic cancer is. It’s one of the most painful cancers to suffer through. My grandfather died from this disease […]
The Three Biggest Impacts the Pandemic is Having on Animal Testing
At the Center for Contemporary Sciences (CCS), we believe in the possibilities that good science can offer. We believe that we can improve human health, and do it better, by replacing animal tests with innovative testing methods. We believe that medical research and testing methods should start and end with human biology. After all, the goal of […]