November 1998

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ASM News Issues

Public Affairs Report

ASM Attends CDC Workshop on Public Health Response to Bioterrorism

David Huxsoll, Dean, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, and member of the ASM's Public and Scientific Affairs Board Task Force on Biological Weapons Defense, represented the ASM at the Workshop on Improving Public Health Response to Possible Acts of Bioterrorism, which was held at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta on August 25-26. The goal of the meeting was to begin to identify major issues in CDC and state health department preparedness and coordination in the event of a covert attack with a biological agent. The meeting included a table top exercise hosted by the Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases in the National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC and the U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command.

Cassell Represents ASM on Antibiotic Use Committee

Gail Cassell, Chair of ASM's Public and Scientific Affairs Board and Vice President, Infectious Diseases Research, Lilly Research Laboratories, will serve as ASM's liaison representative to the Steering Committee on Judicious Therapeutic Antimicrobial Use by Veterinarians, recently established by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The purpose of the Steering Committee is to advise the AVMA Executive Board on the means to develop: (1) Guidelines for judicious therapeutic antimicrobial use by veterinarians, and (2) Continuing education to raise the awareness of the profession to the issue of antimicrobial resistance. The ASM was invited to participate in the Steering Committee to foster an exchange of information between human and veterinary medicine, and to provide the Committee with additional perspectives.

ASM Cosigns Letter on Animal Research Cost Recovery

The ASM Public and Scientific Affairs Board joined a number of organizations and cosigned a letter in September to National Institutes of Health Director Harold Varmus expressing support for the recommendations of the Institute of Laboratory Animal Research (ILAR) study on approaches to cost recovery for animal research. The letter recommended adoption of the ILAR Committee's recommendation that the Facility and Administrative (F&A) costs associated with animal research facilities be treated like F&A costs of other research laboratories. The letter pointed out the negative impact of current government policy requiring direct cost recovery of all F&A costs of animal research facilities.

ASM Contributes to Research!America Advocacy

The ASM has made a contribution in support of Research!America's 435 Project to conduct radio tours by scientists as a grassroots program to reach a wide public audience and make the case for increased support for research. The ASM has been a supporter and participant in the nationwide research advocacy program. Gail Cassell, Chair of ASM's Public and Scientific Affair Board, serves on the 435 Project Leadership Council and Janet Shoemaker, ASM Director of Public Affairs, serves on Research!America's Committee on Public Education.