Response to FDA statement on termination of a primate nicotine research study

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  announced yesterday that it terminated a study investigating the effects of nicotine in monkeys.  This announcement, which was accompanied by the release of many records and documents related to the animals’ care, is troubling for many reasons.  Among them, it again raises questions about oversight and decision-making. Nicotine … Continue reading Response to FDA statement on termination of a primate nicotine research study

Is the FDA undermining its own study and the experts it sent to review it?

The American Psychological Association has warned that the FDA may be winding down its own primate study, despite having started-- but not completed, nor made public-- an independent FDA review process. Why the FDA would stop the study before any report has been published will lead many into further questioning the influence that certain animal … Continue reading Is the FDA undermining its own study and the experts it sent to review it?

FDA response to Goodall letter found lacking

On September 25, 2017, Dr. Scott Gottlieb , Commissioner of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) replied to a scathing letter from Dr. Jane Goodall, where Goodall denounced what she called the “cruel and unnecessary nicotine addiction experiments on monkeys”. We previously evaluated that letter from Goodall and now do the same with Commissioner Gottlieb’s letter. … Continue reading FDA response to Goodall letter found lacking

Speaking of Research response to FDA announcement regarding nicotine research

For immediate release Speaking of Research response to FDA announcement regarding nicotine research Late on September 25, as reported by the Washington Post, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made the startling announcement that it has suspended a nicotine research project involving non-human primates; the goal of this research is to build a better … Continue reading Speaking of Research response to FDA announcement regarding nicotine research

Jane Goodall and White Coat Waste are wrong about nicotine addiction research

This open letter is from scientists and leaders in the addiction research community.  If you'd like to join the signatories listed below, please do in comments at the bottom of this article. Please also share with others with an interest in research on addiction. Smoking – and nicotine addiction – are sometimes easy targets for … Continue reading Jane Goodall and White Coat Waste are wrong about nicotine addiction research

The Problem With Jane Goodall’s “Expert” Opinion

On September 7, 2017, Dr. Jane Goodall wrote a scathing letter to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Commissioner of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) denouncing what she called the “cruel and unnecessary nicotine addiction experiments on monkeys” occurring there. The letter, which relies on the repeated use of opinion versus fact-based arguments by Goodall, is … Continue reading The Problem With Jane Goodall’s “Expert” Opinion

Nine out of ten Statistics are taken out of Context

This guest post is by Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, who is head of the division of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics at the Medical Research Council National Institute for Medical Research in London. This is a very clear and thorough debunking of a common animal rights myth where they suggest that because nine out of … Continue reading Nine out of ten Statistics are taken out of Context

A new era for embryonic stem cells

As the new president takes office and the scientific community eagerly awaits the announcement of the reversal of the ban on federal funding of most research involving human embryonic stem cells (hESC's), there's news that the FDA has approved the first ever trial of a treatment based on hESC's for severe spinal cord injury. This … Continue reading A new era for embryonic stem cells