From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: File #2024-3896, Animal Testing, Letter of Opposition Date: Monday, April 15, 2024 3:31:14 PM
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2024 3:18:51 PM
To: Brian Warren <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: File #2024-3896, Animal Testing, Letter of Opposition Dear Mr. Warren,
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you reaching out. For clarification, my referral (request to Council) is to ban animal experimentation on property owned by the City of Alameda.
It is my understanding that it is because of Neuralink's former agreement with U.C. Davis, and the efforts of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine under the California Public Records Act including litigation, that the public was made aware of the animal experimentation by Neuralink at UC Davis via documents and pictures that were produced. https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-and-neuralink
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/10/05/uc-davis-hiding-photos-musk- owned-neuralink-monkey-tests
https://www.pcrm.org/ethical-science/animals-in-medical-research/original-records-neuralink https://www.wired.com/story/neuralink-uc-davis-monkey-photos-videos-secret/ https://www.reuters.com/technology/regulator-says-found-no-animal-welfare-breaches-musk- firm-beyond-2019-incident-2023-07-19/
I believe that the movement by your industry away from public universities to private labs is intentional to prevent even the limited transparency to and oversight by the public afforded under the California Public Records Act.
Notably, prior to my vote opposing Science Corp.'s proposed lease of City of Alameda property, I requested to see their animals and where they keep their animals currently on private property in the City of Alameda (1010 Atlantic Avenue) and was denied. Obviously, if I as a Councilmember am denied access to the animals when they’re trying to get a lease from the City which requires a super-majority vote (4 out of 5) from Council, the public will never have any meaningful transparency, oversight or knowledge of what animal experimentation is being conducted if not subject to the California Public Records Act.
I believe the community has a right to know what is happening in its city and especially on City owned property.
Thank you for the opportunity to, again, express my position on this serious issue. I'm happy to further discuss in regards to public transparency and oversight of your industry.
Sincerely,
Trish Herrera Spencer
Councilmember
510-552-0555
From: Brian Warren <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2024 11:50:39 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>; [email protected] <[email protected]>
Cc: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: [EXTERNAL] File #2024-3896, Animal Testing, Letter of Opposition Good morning Mayor Ashcraft and City Council Members:
Please fine the attached letter expressing our opposition to File #2024-3896, related to animal testing on city owned or controlled property, included on the April 16, 2024, City Council agenda. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Brian Warren
Senior Director, State Government Affairs
—
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
1201 New York Avenue, NW, Suite #1300
Washington, DC 20005
—
916.606.8016 mobile
—
bio.org
From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: Alameda Proposed City Ordinance Against Animal Research- ACLAM Comment Date: Monday, April 15, 2024 3:30:43 PM
From: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2024 3:24:22 PM
To: Johnson, Colena <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Alameda Proposed City Ordinance Against Animal Research- ACLAM Comment Dear Ms. Johnson/ACLAM,
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you reaching out. For clarification, my referral (request to Council) is to ban animal experimentation on property owned by the City of Alameda.
It is my understanding that it is because of Neuralink's former agreement with U.C. Davis, and the efforts of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine under the California Public Records Act including litigation, that the public was made aware of the animal experimentation by Neuralink at UC Davis via documents and pictures that were produced. https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-and-neuralink
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/10/05/uc-davis-hiding-photos-musk- owned-neuralink-monkey-tests
https://www.pcrm.org/ethical-science/animals-in-medical-research/original-records-neuralink https://www.wired.com/story/neuralink-uc-davis-monkey-photos-videos-secret/ https://www.reuters.com/technology/regulator-says-found-no-animal-welfare-breaches-musk- firm-beyond-2019-incident-2023-07-19/
I believe that the movement by your industry away from public universities to private labs is intentional to prevent even the limited transparency to and oversight by the public afforded under the California Public Records Act.
Notably, prior to my vote opposing Science Corp.'s proposed lease of City of Alameda property, I requested to see their animals and where they keep their animals currently on private property in the City of Alameda (1010 Atlantic Avenue) and was denied. Obviously, if I as a Councilmember am denied access to the animals when they’re trying to get a lease from the City which requires a super-majority vote (4 out of 5) from Council, the public will never have any meaningful transparency, oversight or knowledge of what animal experimentation is being conducted if not subject to the California Public Records Act.
I believe the community has a right to know what is happening in its city and especially on City owned property.
Thank you for the opportunity to, again, express my position on this serious issue. I'm happy to further discuss in regards to public transparency and oversight of your industry.
Sincerely,
Trish Herrera Spencer
Councilmember
510-552-0555
From: Johnson, Colena <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2024 7:21:14 AM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Alameda Proposed City Ordinance Against Animal Research- ACLAM Comment
Please find enclosed a comment from the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) regarding the Alameda Proposed City Ordinance Against Animal Research.
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From: Trish Spencer
To: Lara Weisiger
Subject: Fwd: Proposed ordinance to Ban Animal experimentation on City owned property Date: Monday, April 15, 2024 3:30:08 PM
From: Trish Spencer <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 10:17:02 PM
To: abanks ca-biomed.org <[email protected]>
Subject: Proposed ordinance to Ban Animal experimentation on City owned property Dear Dr. Banks,
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you reaching out. For clarification, my referral (request to Council) is to ban animal experimentation on property owned by the City of Alameda.
It is my understanding that it is because of Neuralink's former agreement with U.C. Davis, and the efforts of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine under the California Public Records Act including litigation, that the public was made aware of the animal experimentation by Neuralink at UC Davis via documents and pictures that were produced. https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-and-neuralink
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/10/05/uc-davis-hiding-photos-musk- owned-neuralink-monkey-tests
https://www.pcrm.org/ethical-science/animals-in-medical-research/original-records-neuralink https://www.wired.com/story/neuralink-uc-davis-monkey-photos-videos-secret/ https://www.reuters.com/technology/regulator-says-found-no-animal-welfare-breaches-musk- firm-beyond-2019-incident-2023-07-19/
I believe that the movement by your industry away from public universities to private labs is intentional to prevent even the limited transparency to and oversight by the public afforded under the California Public Records Act.
Notably, prior to my vote opposing Science Corp.'s proposed lease of City of Alameda property, I requested to see their animals and where they keep their animals currently on private property in the City of Alameda (1010 Atlantic Avenue) and was denied. Obviously, if I as a Councilmember am denied access to the animals when they’re trying to get a lease from the City which requires a super-majority vote (4 out of 5) from Council, the public will never have any meaningful transparency, oversight or knowledge of what animal experimentation is being conducted if not subject to the California Public Records Act.
I believe the community has a right to know what is happening in its city and especially on City owned property.
Thank you for the opportunity to, again, express my position on this serious issue. I'm happy to further discuss in regards to public transparency and oversight of your industry.
Sincerely,
Trish Herrera Spencer
Councilmember
510-552-0555
From: abanks ca-biomed.org <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 5:49:26 PM
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Cc: dsutton ca-biomed.org <[email protected]>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ordinance to Ban Research Animals
March 27, 2024
Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer
Alameda City Council
City Hall
2263 Santa Clara Avenue
Alameda, CA 94501
RE: Life Sciences Animal Testing Ordinance
Dear Councilmember Spencer:
On behalf of the California Biomedical Research Association and the research facilities we represent, I want to register opposition to the recent attempts to restrict the use of animal models in biomedical research in Alameda. Such a ban on animals would delay and possible block life-saving drug development and medical device innovation that not only Alameda residents need, but citizens of the State, the Nation, and the World.
California is the leader in biomedical research and the critical research process we call “Benchtop to Bedside” - the discovery, development, testing, clinical trials, and eventual approval by the FDA, benefiting countless human and animal patients. The role animal models play in drug, medical device, and vaccine development is not only heavily regulated by the federal and state laws and regulations, governing principals, and international treaties, it remains critical not for ease or lack of innovation, but because of scientific necessity and requirements of regulatory agencies.
For decades, scientists have worked to significantly reduce, refine, and replace animal use in research. We call these “The 3Rs”, and this process has proven to be and continues as a successful endeavor. Alternatives to animal models are
regularly and enthusiastically used and sought whenever possible. However, some research needs to progress to a whole, living system as a necessary component of the biomedical research process to ensure efficacy and safety to all patients. Research with animal models only begins after investigation of past research to eliminate duplication, refining research protocols with a close eye to animal welfare, reducing the number of animals needed, and replacing animal models wherever possible.
Researchers are strong advocates of animal welfare and are rigorous in developing and following ethical guidelines governing the use of laboratory animals – including a review of all activities by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) as mandated by the Animal Welfare Act and the Public Health Service (PHS) Policy, and seeking voluntary accreditation such as that of the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, the gold standard of animal care.
To ensure life-saving medical research continues to thrive in your community, we respectfully ask you to support research, and decline to approve the proposed Ordinance before the Alameda City Council to implement restrictions for animal research on city-managed properties.
Human and animal patients require biomedical research, and biomedical research still requires animal models of research.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Amanda Carson Banks, PhD
President
____________
Amanda Carson Banks, PhD, CRA
President
California Biomedical Research Association
(916) 502-4863