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2017 New Diplomates
Congratulations to the 2017 new ACLAM Diplomates. You can find a listing in the members-only section.
New Criteria for Pre-Review of Manuscripts for Exam Applicants
Exam applicants can now request an optional pre-review of their published manuscript from ACLAM's Credentials Committee (CC). The pre-review process allows the preliminary evaluation of published manuscripts to be submitted to the ACLAM CC from potential applicants aside from the traditional approach (e.g. during the application for certification eligibility). Requests for pre-review will assist candidates by providing early feedback on whether a manuscript satisfies credentialing requirements prior to applying for the ACLAM certifying examination. Scroll to the bottom of the page at https://www.aclam.org/certification/requirements for more details.
2017-2022 Strategic Objectives
The updated strategic objectives for 2017-2022 are now available in the members-only section. The file is under the "Administration" section.
2017 ACLAM Membership
The 2017 annual dues of $300 are due January 1, 2017. In accordance with Article VIII of the ACLAM Bylaws, your dues must be received by March 1, 2017. Late dues payments are March 2-Sep 1- $350. After Sep 1- $400.
To pay your dues online, click on the "sign in" button and log in, click on the "pay dues" link in the top right corner.
Now Is Also the Time to Join or Renew Your ASLAP and AVMA Memberships
ASLAP is the AVMA's allied organization which represents laboratory animal medicine veterinarians and issues relevant to animal-based research. Representation by ASLAP provides the only voice in the AVMA specifically designated for laboratory animal medicine professionals.
To maintain its standing as an allied organization within AVMA, ASLAP must maintain a critical mass of members who are both ASLAP and AVMA members in good standing.
Join or renew your ASLAP membership here.
Join or renew your AVMA membership here.
Why ACLAM Diplomates Need to be Members of ASLAP and AVMA
ASLAP is the AVMA's allied organization which represents laboratory animal medicine veterinarians and issues relevant to animal-based research. Representation by ASLAP provides the only voice in the AVMA specifically designated for laboratory animal medicine professionals.
To maintain its standing as an allied organization within AVMA, ASLAP must maintain a critical mass of members who are both ASLAP and AVMA members in good standing. Read more on why it's important to you and our field.
NEW! The ACLAM e-Formulary App
The ACLAM e-Formulary is an innovative new app, edited and compiled by Karen Rogers, Sean Maguire and Garry Linton, providing laboratory animal scientists with drug information for the various species used in laboratory animal medicine.
Developed in collaboration between the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine and Elsevier, the app simply and quickly delivers information on appropriate drugs, delivery methods, drug categories, and quantities relative to the weight of a given animal. Now in the app format, the formulary, a trusted resource in the industry, is much easier to use and readily accessible!
- Uses a meticulously compiled database of medications sorted by category based on pharmacologic activity, along with information about how the drug was used and formulated from the listed references.
- Accessible on mobile devices including tablets, the ACLAM e-Formulary is specifically designed for application in the laboratory setting.
- Provides a calculator function to calculate doses required as efficiently as possible to streamline the process of medicating animals, with drugs listed alphabetically, categorized by pharmacologic activity and by species.
- Increases the effectiveness of laboratory animal veterinarians and researchers by improving the time and accuracy of obtaining drug doses for animals used in laboratory animal science.
- Beyond its robust calculator function, it serves as a portable and easy-to-navigate reference tool for animal scientists.
The app is available for iPhone and Android. Site licenses are not available.
NIH to Retire All Research Chimpanzees
Two years after retiring most of its research chimpanzees, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is ceasing its chimp program altogether, according to Nature.
In a 16 November e-mail to the agency's administrators, NIH director Francis Collins announced that the 50 NIH-owned animals that remain available for research will be sent to sanctuaries. The agency will also develop a plan for phasing out NIH support for the remaining chimps that are supported by, but not owned by, the NIH. Read the full story at Nature.
Optimizing the Nation's Investment in Academic Research
This publication from the National Academies is the result of many years and many investigations (not empirical) aimed at reducing investigator burden. Chapter 5 focuses on regulations affecting human and animal research.
AVMA Wellness and Peer Assistance Website Available
As professional care providers, unfortunately many of us wait 
until we are emotionally fatigued before we turn inward to reflect and address our own care needs. The pressures of workplace management and exposure to moral stressors, combined with placing the needs of co-workers or animals under our care first, can quickly lead to burn out and/or compassion fatigue. Unfortunately poor personal wellness is common in the veterinary profession and all too often support resources are not available or openly discussed. This year the AVMA felt it was imperative to begin an open and honest conversation about personal and workplace wellness, as the repercussions of failing to do so can be devastating.
The new AVMA Wellness and Peer Assistance website (http://www.avma.org/wellness) is a comprehensive resource that begins with the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Assessment. The ProQOL is a widely validated, self-scored assessment tool that measures the positive and negative effects of helping others and provides a point of introspection to focus on one's own self-care needs. Individuals are then directed to an all-inclusive self-care tool kit with topics ranging from understanding one's own vulnerabilities and compassion fatigue to strategies for implementing stress management practices. Please take time to complete the self-assessment and explore the toolkit to begin your own path to wellness.
EC Will Not Change Legislation in Response to Anti-petition
European Commission has today (3 June 2015) responded to the European Citizen's Initiative that sought to repeal the current EU Directive and impose a ban on animal research within the EU. The Commission has announced that it does not intend to submit a proposal to repeal Directive 2010/63/EU and is not intending to propose the adoption of a new legislative framework.
The Commission's response notes that the organizers of the ECI disagreed with the effectiveness of animal research, but continues: "... the Commission does not share the view that scientific principles invalidate the 'animal model'. Indeed, despite differences with humans, animal models have been the key scientific drivers to develop almost all existing effective and safe medical treatments and prevention measures for human and animal diseases.
"In medicine development, animal models have been very effective in removing candidate medicines that could have been dangerous to humans when tested in later clinical phases. In areas of great biological complexity where existing alternatives do not yet provide sufficient predictive power, animal models are still needed to decipher the complex biological mechanisms leading to an observed effect or to provide the information needed to ensure that a product is safe."
Additional details may be found at the UAR website and on the Speaking of Research blog. European news media articles will undoubtedly follow in short order.
Animal Welfare and the 3Rs--Sponsor and CRO Collaboration for Outsourced Studies
The IQ Consortium, a not-for-profit organization of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with the mission of advancing science-based and scientifically-driven standards and regulations for pharmaceutical and biotechnology products worldwide, is pleased to offer a free training resource.
This training focuses on identifying animal welfare and study integrity issues that can occur during the development and revision of protocols and timelines for live animal studies conducted at external facilities. Developed with non-research staff in mind, this training seeks to build an understanding of down-stream consequences, provide background for informed decision making, and strengthen the relationship between institutions. The program is approximately 40 minutes in length, and consists of a PowerPoint presentation and discussion materials. It is designed to be used by the company or institution internally, and at their convenience.
For more information on IQ Consortium:
For information and access to these training materials:
2014 Salary Survey
The 2014 Salary Survey is now available in the members-only section under the 
"Demographics" heading. The purpose of this economic survey is to assess the total annual professional income of laboratory animal veterinarians working in the United States, reflecting also the details and differences between types of employment, job specifics, and levels of experience and responsibility of professionals working in this field. It is repeated every three years under joint sponsorship of ACLAM and ASLAP. The results of this work have been used for a variety of purposes, including peer-comparisons of salary for recruitment and retention efforts by employers and for indirect indications of market place employment conditions of the laboratory animal veterinary medical specialty.
Update to the PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
The PHS Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals has been updated. The 2015 revision reflects the following changes:
-adoption of the 8th Edition of the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals;
-implementation of the 2013 Edition of the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals;
-modification to footnotes 2, 7, 9, 11, and 13 requiring that PHS-Assured institutions comply with USDA regulations that are applicable to their programs;
-change in OLAW contact information; and
-minor grammatical corrections.
Learn more at NOT-OD-15-079.
View or download the PHS Policy here: View | PDF | eBook.
Laboratory Animal Transportation
ACLAM recognizes the vital role of live animals in research, and supports animal based research as a legitimate, necessary, and socially responsible activity. Domestic and international transport of animals is essential to maintaining progress toward advances in human and animal health. Research animal transportation is conducted under highly supervised conditions, in accordance with strict, accepted standards, and in compliance with a variety of government regulations. Transport by experienced and licensed animal couriers ensures the safe and appropriate handling of animals.
ACLAM supports the continued transportation of live animals for research purposes in accord with the aforementioned standards and regulations.
ASLAP Resolution Passed by AVMA House of Delegates
Dear Colleagues,
ASLAP is pleased to announce the passage of a resolution in the AVMA House of 
Delegates regarding research animal transportation. The resolution has resulted in the AVMA formally adopting the following policy as of January 10, 2015:
Transportation of research animals refers to any movement of all animals intended for use in biomedical research, testing, and/or education from one facility (dedicated breeding or research) to another. The AVMA supports the transportation of animals for research, testing and education when that transportation is conducted in accord with guidelines that assure animals are handled properly and transport is conducted humanely. Those handling research animals during transport must be well trained and competent in performing related tasks and making related decisions.
While supportive of animal-based research, the AVMA has not previously had a policy on research animal transportation until this new one written and proposed by ASLAP. With this new policy, the AVMA will support ASLAP’s activities promoting humane research animal transportation and maintain a pro-research animal transportation stance as it pertains to AVMA’s position on transportation of research animals (whether regulatory or legislative).
ASLAP worked with the AVMA Animal Welfare Division in crafting this policy which received overwhelming support from the entire House of Delegates.
On behalf of the ASLAP Board of Directors, I would like to thank Drs. Stacy Pritt, William (Bill) Stokes, William (Bill) White, Wendy Underwood, and Mark Suckow (ASLAP HOD Delegate, ASLAP HOD Alternate Delegate, ASLAP Member, ASLAP President-Elect, and ASLAP Past President, respectively) for their work at the HOD meeting to secure passage of the resolution as well as Donna Clemons who helped with writing the resolution.
Suzanne Craig, DACLAM
ASLAP President
Publications of Interest
Strengthening the Disaster Resilience of the Academic Research Community: The National Academies
Order online
The Clinical Chemistry of Laboratory Animals, Third Edition
Editor(s): David Kurtz, Gergory Travlos
Order online
Gnotobiotics, First Edition
Editor(s): Trenton Schoeb, Kathryn Eaton
Order online
Laboratory Animal Medicine, Third Edition
Editor(s): Anderson & Otto & Pritchett-Corning & Whary
Editor in Chief: J Fox
Order online
Swine in the Laboratory: Surgery, Anesthesia, Imaging, and Experimental Techniques, Third Edition
M. Michael Swindle, Alison C. Smith
Save 25% when you order online with promo code GJP96
Biology and Diseases of the Ferret, 3rd Edition
James G. Fox and Robert P. Marini, Editors.
Click here for details.
Laboratory Animal Welfare, 2013
Kathryn Bayne and Patricia V. Turner, eds.:
See: http://store.elsevier.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780123851031 and
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780123851031
The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster, and Other Rodents
Now published electronically and available for sale as an e-book:
See: http://www.elsevierdirect.com/product.jsp?isbn=9780123809209 and
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780123809209
Public Support of Research Funding
Colorado State University has launched an effort to encourage public support of research funding that is being distributed broadly.
Please feel free to pass on:
www.innovationdeficit.org
This effort recently was featured in the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/02/27/us/politics/ap-us-innovation-video.html?_r=2
A New Interactive Web Site Designed to Help Scientists to Improve the Design of Their Animal Experiments.
Animal experiments are not always well designed, leading to both ethical concerns and a waste of scientific resources. This is a world-wide problem. But training scientists is difficult as there so are few statisticians with a good understanding of laboratory animal science, able to provide such training. This new web site is designed to help scientists to teach themselves the necessary skills. After an introduction on the ethics of animal experimentation, showing that improvements are needed, it goes on to cover choice of experimental units, avoiding bias, power and sample size, controlling variability, types of experimental design, factorial experiments, statistical analysis and publication guidelines. Most sections are followed by a “Test yourself” page of true/false questions. The web site is free and non-commercial.
Ph.D. supervisors and members of ethical review committees could ask anyone new to research on animals to work through the site and download the pdf Certificate which states that : “I Certify that I have worked through all pages of the web site www.3Rs-Reduction.co.uk, and that I understand the importance of good experimental design in minimising the number of laboratory animals used in biomedical research.” This should lead, over a period of time, to a general improvement, saving both animals and scientific resources.
2013 AVMA Euthanasia Guidelines Finalized
Ref: https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/Euthanasia-Guidelines.aspx
ACLAM is a member of:
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