The fact that IRBs are invisible to most human beings can make it feel impossible to meaningfully engage with the lay community. And yet, community engagement should be a valuable part of what we accomplish in the IRB's mission to serve the community. Read more
Biomedical Research Awareness Day (BRAD) is an international outreach program that seeks to increase public awareness about animal roles in biomedical research and the resulting medical advancements that benefit both humans and animals. BRAD highlights the importance of animal studies and research organizations’ commitment to providing excellent animal care. It also builds a research advocate community and showcases biomedical research and laboratory animal care and medicine careers. Read on to see how you can celebrate BRAD in 2021. Read more
In the early days of the AIDS epidemic, groups like ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) and others worked in powerful and creative ways to demand better treatment for HIV and AIDS and to speed up and improve the process for developing these drugs. Read more
Earlier this spring, the Maine Regulatory Training and Ethics Center (MeRTEC) launched the COVID-19 Learning IRB, a free, nonprofit “learning” IRB to review COVID-19 related research. To learn more about this initiative, we interviewed Stephen Rosenfeld, MD, a partner in the initiative and a PRIM&R board member. Read more
I had pondered my role on the 2018 IACUC Conference Blog Squad multiple times in the days leading up to the event and throughout the three days of the meeting. My musings, and a conversation with my niece about the work we do, led me to one of those extraordinary “Aha!” moments. Read more
