Guest guest Posted May 2, 2003 Report Share Posted May 2, 2003 From ACE newsletter (PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!!! WE MUST STOP THEM BEFORE THEY START!) -- The Veteran's Administration Medical Center and the Northern California Institute for Research and Education are planning to build a research facility in San Francisco's Presidio. Representatives from In Defense of Animals recently met with the CEO of NCIRE, who informed us that, while the initial plan called for construction of a transgenic animal centre, the facility may consider excluding the animal component if there is enough public opposition to the plan. Thankfully, most of NICRE's expansion plan focuses on modern non-animal technologies, such as molecular research and research using sophisticated scanning technology. If NICRE were to focus on these modern and humane technologies and exclude the animal research, it would set an important precedent as a biomedical research centre that will thrive without harming and killing animals. Because the facility is on federal land and being constructed with federal funds, our representatives in Congress have key control over its construction. Therefore we must voice our concerns RIGHT AWAY and urge our Representatives to support a NICRE expansion that relies exclusively on modern, non-animal research technologies and omits plans for the construction of an animal research facility. Important points to make include: - You are concerned about animal welfare, valid science, and human health. - Transgenic animals face increased animal welfare risks due to the nature of genetic manipulation and " mistakes " - Animals have escaped from research facilities, including a monkey who recently escaped from UC-Davis and has not been found. The potential for a transgenic animal escaping raises additional concerns and questions. - The facility is planning to use mice, who are excluded from the protections of the federal Animal Welfare Act and are therefore not protected at all. - Most of us want animal research to be phased out not just for ethical concerns but also for scientific reasons. Newer, non-animal methods are proving to be more reliable, faster and less expensive than animal experiments. Because the timeline for building this facility is five years, its proponents should look toward the future and build a centre that relies on the most reliable, effective and humane technologies available, not one that perpetuates outdated and inhumane animal research. Please write to Nancy Pelosi's office at: Catherine Dodd c/o Representative Nancy Pelosi, 450 Golden Gate Ave., 14th floor, San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 556-4862 tel (415) 861-1670 fax Email: sf.nancy Please contact Senator Dianne Feinstein at: One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104 (415) 393-0707 tel (415) 393-0710 fax Please contact Senator Barbara Boxer's office at: 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111 (415) 403-0100 tel (415) 956-6701 fax Also be sure to send a copy of your letter to the CEO of NCIRE at: Mr. Jack Nagan, CEO Northern California Institute for Research and Education, 4150 Clement St. (151 NC), San Francisco, CA 94121 (415) 750-6935 tel 415) 750-9358 fax Email: jack.nagan For a glimpse of NICRE's current plans, see <A HREF= " http://www.ncire.org/corefacilities.html " >http://www.ncire.org/corefacilit\ ies.html</A> For more information about the use of transgenic animals in research, please see <A HREF= " http://www.buav.org/pdfs/transgenic_animals.pdf " >http://www.buav.org/pdfs/\ transgenic_animals.pdf</A> > A sample letter is included below, adapted from IDA's letter. > > > Dear Representative Pelosi/Senator Boxer/Senator Feinstein: > > I am writing to express my concerns regarding the Northern California > Institute for Research and Education's expansion project in San Francisco's > > Presidio. I am especially concerned that the facility may include a > transgenic animal facility. As you may know, the use of transgenic animals > in biomedical research raises a host of scientific and ethical concerns. I > have included a fact sheet that details these concerns with this letter. > > > Problems associated with the use of transgenic animals are compounded by > the > fact that the species most widely used (mice) is not covered under the > federal Animal Welfare Act. This means that laboratories utilising > transgenic mice are not inspected or monitored. Given the record of > longstanding animal welfare violations that continue to plague the > University of California San Francisco, a facility with which NCIRE is > closely affiliated, this lack of monitoring and oversight would raise even > more cause for concern. > > > The NCIRE expansion project has many worthy components, including cores > that > will focus on Genetic and Protein Analysis and Informatics, the Cell > Imaging, Advanced MRI Imaging, and Clinical Research. These are all modern, > > cutting-edge technologies that do not require the use of sentient animals > in > research. > > > I urge you to use your considerable influence to ensure that federal funds > spent on this expansion project will not be used to underwrite animal > research, but will support the most modern and humane research technologies > > available today. > > > Thank you for your consideration. > > > Sincerely, > ---------------------- Reasons I have chosen veganism as a way of life for myself and my family: <A HREF= " www.dumpdairy.com " >www.dumpdairy.com</A> <A HREF= " www.milksucks.com " >www.milksucks.com</A> <A HREF= " www.goveg.com " >www.goveg.com</A> <A HREF= " http://www.helpinganimals.com/ " >http://www.helpinganimals.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.stopanimaltests.com/ " >http://www.stopanimaltests.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.furisdead.com/ " >http://www.furisdead.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://action.fund.org/action/index.asp " >http://action.fund.org/action/ind\ ex.asp</A> <A HREF= " http://www.animalsvoice.com/ " >http://www.animalsvoice.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.commandochicks.com/ " >http://www.commandochicks.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.notmilk.com/ " >http://www.notmilk.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.pcrm.org/ " >http://www.pcrm.org/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.vegsource.com/ " >http://www.vegsource.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.veganoutreach.com/ " >http://www.veganoutreach.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www3.mistral.co.uk/traub/faqvegan.html " >http://www3.mistral.co.uk/t\ raub/faqvegan.html</A> <A HREF= " http://www.vegan.com/ " >http://www.vegan.com/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.vegan.org/ " >http://www.vegan.org/</A> <A HREF= " http://www.coolvegan.com/ " >http://www.coolvegan.com/</A> Meet Your Meat: <A HREF= " http://www.goveg.com/mym-hi.rm " >http://www.goveg.com/mym-hi.rm</A> Subscribe to my Vegan_Animal_Rights today: Vegan_Animal_Rights/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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