2015 physicians committee annual report
DESCRIPTION
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization dedicated to saving and improving lives through good nutrition, advanced medical research, and public policy advocacy.TRANSCRIPT
CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES. ADVANCING HUMAN HEALTH AND ETHICAL RESEARCH.
2015AnnualReport
Mission
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health
organization dedicated to saving and improving lives through good
nutrition, advanced medical research, and public policy advocacy.
Vision
Creating a healthier world through a new emphasis on prevention, plant-
based nutrition, and scientific research conducted ethically, without
using animals.
Table of Contents
2 We Work to Save Lives
6 Costly Chimpanzee Experiments
8 Harmful Heart Failure Research
11 Killer Cholesterol
12 The Western Diet
13 Hazardous Hospital Foods
15 Transforming Nutrition Research
16 Publishing Plant-Based Studies
17 Accelerating Alcohol and Antibodies Research
18 Healing Hearts
21 Championing New Chemical Testing Methods
22 Purging Processed Meats
25 Schooling Scientists
26 Modernizing Medical Education
28 Alleviating Alzheimer’s Disease
29 Fighting Diabetes
30 Improving School Lunches
32 Leadership
33 2015 Consolidated Fiscal Year Report
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 1CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
2 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
At the Physicians Committee, we work to save lives.
2 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 3CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES. 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 3CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
4 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Some experimenters are causing cancer, diabetes, and other diseases in animals.
4 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 5CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
They misguidedly hope that cruel
experiments on animals will cure diseases in
people…2015 ANNUAL REPORT 5CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
6 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Costly Chimpanzee Experiments
After years of work by the Physicians
Committee, the National Institutes of Health
announced in November 2015 that it is
ending all federally supported chimpanzee
experimentation. It’s a major milestone in the
Physicians Committee’s mission to promote
ethical and scientifically sound research.
Milestones
2009: The Physicians Committee lobbies
Congress to pass the Great Ape
Protection Act.
2010: Spring/Summer: More than 150 U.S. representatives support GAPA. Physicians
Committee experts facilitate the introduction of a companion Senate bill.
September: The Physicians Committee files a complaint urging the Department of Health
and Human Services to halt plans to send chimpanzees retired at the Alamogordo Primate
Facility in New Mexico into active experiments at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute.
2011: January: NIH confirms that no more Alamogordo chimpanzees will be moved. The
Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducts an in-depth review of the use of chimpanzee
experimentation. The Physicians Committee works behind the scenes to remove IOM
committee members with conflicts of interest.
March: The Physicians Committee files a complaint stating that NIH acted unlawfully
when in summer 2010 it transferred 14 Alamogordo chimpanzees, including Katrina, to
Texas for use in experiments.
August: Physicians Committee director of academic affairs John Pippin, M.D., testifies
before the IOM committee about the medical and ethical reasons for ending chimpanzee
experimentation.
The Physicians Committee files a petition with the federal government stating that
Texas Biomed is in violation of the Animal Welfare Act by using 14
chimpanzees in experiments.
In 2002, Katrina was retired after years of experiments that infected her with hepatitis B and C and HIV. But in 2010 she was sent back to a laboratory. In 2015, the National Institutes of Health ended experimentation on Katrina and all chimpanzees.
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 7CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
December: The IOM releases its landmark report finding that chimpanzees are not
needed to develop an HIV vaccine, hepatitis C antiviral drugs, or treatments for a wide
range of other human illnesses. Hours later, NIH suspends all new grants for chimpanzee
experiments and confirms that no more Alamogordo chimpanzees will be transferred to
Texas.
2012: Following a Physicians Committee public appeal, NIH says it will retire all of its
chimpanzees used in experiments at New Iberia Research Center to the Chimp Haven
federal sanctuary.
2013: The Physicians Committee praises NIH’s decision to accept recommendations in a Council
of Councils Working Group report that recommends immediately phasing out federally
funded chimpanzee experiments. But Physicians Committee doctors oppose NIH’s
decision to hold 50 chimpanzees for future experiments.
2015: NIH announces that it will end all federally supported chimpanzee experimentation.
Chimp Haven federal sanctuary
“As a physician who formerly conducted research on animals, I know that it’s a decision that benefits the lives of chimpanzees like Camillo as much as it benefits yours and mine.”
—Physicians Committee director of academic affairs John Pippin, M.D., in his op-ed “Chimps Rescued from Pointless Experiments,” Dec. 2, 2015
Camillo
8 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Harmful Heart Failure Research
In 2015, the Physicians Committee continued
to pressure Wayne State University to end the
heart failure experiments it has performed
on hundreds of dogs for the past 25 years.
Physicians Committee member Sharon
Kemper, D.O., a Wayne State professor,
testified before the Wayne State Board of
Governors and delivered petitions from more
than 200 Michigan physicians calling for an
end to the experiments.
At the same time, a billboard near Wayne
State highlighted the fate of a dog named
Madonna who died in the university’s
laboratory.
Madonna was killed after being used in heart failure experiments at Wayne State University.
Letter from 231 Michigan Physicians
to the Wayne State University Board of Governors
Urging an End to Invasive Dog Experiments
As a Michigan physician, I am writing to ask that the Wayne State University Board of Governors use its authority and influence to halt the use of dogs in heart
failure experiments. As the federal grant for these experiments expires on March 31, 2016, now is an opportune time for the board to insist that the university
focus its resources on human-relevant research.
During the ongoing experiments, each dog may undergo as many as four surgeries and have up to 12 medical devices implanted in his or her body. Those dogs
who survive the surgeries are then run on treadmills while heart failure is induced by rapid ventricular pacing. At the end of the experiments all dogs are killed.
As elected officials, you are beholden to the people of Michigan, who badly need their state-funded institutions to invest in effective prevention and treatment
programs and research. Yet Wayne State has been using federal grant money for canine heart failure experiments for more than 20 years without producing
anything to advance human health. In that time, more than $8.1 million has been spent on these dog experiments, with more than $6.5 million of that allocated
to the heart failure grant expiring in March 2016.
Please put an end to these experiments in order to help improve the health of Michigan residents.
Very truly yours,
Andrea Abessinio, D.O.
St. Clair Shores
Hisham Ahmed, M.D.
Lapeer
Adelita Alcala, M.D.
N. Muskegon
Anthony Alcantara, M.D.
Clinton Township
Louise Aloe, M.D.
Livonia
Thomas Anan, M.D.
Novi
Nina Anderson, M.D.
Sterling Heights
Anita Asadorian, D.O.
Caledonia
Taher Ata, M.D.
Clarkston
William Athens, Jr., M.D.
Brownstown
Marie Awad, D.O.
Shelby Township
Susan Bannon, M.D.
Kalamazoo
Lenise Banse, M.D.
Clinton Township
Wayne Bedell, D.O.
Midland
Roberto Benejam, M.D.
Dearborn
Seth Bernard, D.O.
Flint
William Bernard, D.O.
Flint
Seth Bernard, D.O.
Flint
Nada Beydoun, D.O.
Dearborn Heights
John Beyer, D.O.
Holland
Smita Bijlani, M.D.
Rochester Hills
Jacob Blazo, D.O.
Saint Joseph
David Boger, D.O.
Chelsea
Rudy Bogoian III, M.D.
Big Rapids
Harry Borovik, M.D.
Traverse City
David Brownstein, M.D.
West Bloomfied
Gina Buccalo, M.D.
Utica
Mitchell Carey, M.D.
East Jordan
Kelly Clark, M.D.
Traverse City
Ivan Co, M.D.Ypsilanti
Lauri Conroy, M.D.
Macomb
Robin Cook, M.D.
Marquette
Jayne Courts, M.D.
Caledonia
Mark Cowan, M.D.
Marquette
John Crayne, M.D.
Lambertville
Richard Cross, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
George Czertko, M.D.
Warren
Sudha Damidi, M.D.
Rochester Hills
Ronald D’Angostino, Jr., D.O.
L’Anse
Olubukola Davies-Jones, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
Karen Denbesten, M.D.
Petoskey
Alan Dengiz, M.D.
Ann Arbor
James Denier, M.D.
Clinton Township
Christina Desousa, M.D.
Dearborn
Marek Didluch, M.D.
Flint
Ryan Dodde II, M.D.
Holland
Diane Donley, M.D.
Traverse City
Lori Dotson, M.D.
South Haven
Tammy Drew, D.O.
Kalamazoo
Ross Driscoll, M.D.
Kalamazoo
John Ebrom, M.D.
Grand Rapids
Marcel Elanjian, D.O.
Dearborn
Craig Elliott, M.D.
Muskegon
Michael Engel, M.D.
Norton Shores
Enrique Enriquez, M.D.
Allen Park
Juan Estigarribia, M.D.
Dearborn
Patricia Ferguson, M.D.
Bingham Farms
Richard Ferro, D.O.
Okemos
Richard Fici, D.O.
East Detroit
Debbie Filek, M.D.
Bay City
C Peter Fischer, M.D.
Ypsilanti
Michael Fox, D.O.
Livonia
Balvant Ganatra, M.D.
Flint
Carmen Garcia, M.D.
Kalamazoo
Elias Gennaoui, M.D.
Allen Park
Pinhas Geva, M.D.
Lansing
Jennifer Glance, D.O.
St. Clair
Mark Goetting, M.D.
Portage
George Goffas, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
Michael Goldfarb, M.D.
Dearborn
David Grekin, M.D.
Saint Joseph
Rajinder Grewal, M.D.
Rochester Hills
Neesha Griffin-Berry, M.D.
Southfield
Teresa Griffith, M.D.
Alpena
Michael Gruber, M.D.
Bay City
Carla Guggenheim, D.O.
Lansing
Christopher Gunnell, M.D.
Saint Ignace
Nestor Guno, M.D.
Grayling
Luzette Habib, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Lorette Haddad, M.D.
Livonia
Khaled Hafez, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Mahmood Hai, M.D.
Westland
Teri Hammer, D.O.
Belleville
David Hammond, M.D.
Grand Rapids
Rafia Haque, M.D.
Allen Park
Mark Harbeck, M.D.
Novi
Daniel Harber, D.O.
Dearborn Heights
Randal Harris, M.D.
Detroit
Carrie Hecht, M.D.
Ada
Paul Heidel, M.D.
Holland
Michael Hertz, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Darren Herzog, M.D.
Royal Oak
Matthew Hettle, M.D.
Clarkston
Leon Hochman, M.D.
Bingham Farms
Nicholas Hountras, M.D.
Holland
Nelu Ioan Cristof, M.D.
Sault Ste. Marie
Todd Irwin, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Nadheer Issa, M.D.
Sterling Heights
William Jackson, M.D.
Marcellus
James Jackson, D.O.
Muskegon Heights
Randall Jacobs, M.D.
Warren
Mohammad Jafferany, M.D.
Saginaw
Benjamin Johnson, M.D.
Marshall
Gary Jones, M.D.
Dearborn
Jacob Kalo, M.D.
Warren
Clara Kamath, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
Kami Kefalonitis, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
Rashid Khalil, M.D.
Novi
Shabbir Khambati, M.D.
Milford
Vijay Khanna, M.D.
Taylor
Usha Kilaru, M.D.
Bloomfield Township
Ann Knapp, M.D.
Dorr
Karen Koby-Olson, M.D.
Gaylord
Robert Kolodziejczyk, M.D.
Grand Rapids
Patricia Kolowich, M.D.
Detroit
Craig Kuesel, D.O.
Traverse City
Jason Ladwig, M.D.
Kalamazoo
Christie Laming, M.D.
Burtchville
Theresa Larsen, M.D.
Lake Orion
Christyne Lawson, M.D.
Bingham Farms
Mary Lazar, M.D.
Royal Oak
Sang Lee, M.D.Warren
Douglas Leppink, M.D.
Grand Rapids
Howard Leroux, Jr., M.D.
Muskegon
Robert Levy, M.D.
Dearborn
Edward Linkner, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Thomas Longley, M.D.
Brighton
Barbara Lucas, M.D.
Dearborn
Joseph Luna, M.D.
Davison
Jeanne Lusher, M.D.
Rochester Hills
Shyam Mahesh, M.D.
Bloomfield Hills
Aye Mar, M.D.Battle Creek
Curtis Marder, M.D.
Marquette
Timothy Marsh, D.O.
West Branch
Emily Mathias, M.D.
Grosse Pointe
Ryan McConnell, D.O.
Charlevoix
Percy McDonald, M.D.
Port Huron
Rodney McFarland, M.D.
Bay City
Manilal Mewada, M.D.
Burton
Jeffrey Miller, M.D.
Kalamazoo
Kenneth Minks, Jr, M.D.
Grand Rapids
Glynda Moorer, M.D.
East Lansing
George Moser, M.D.
Clarkston
Joel Moses, M.D.
Oak Park
Nagla Moustafa, M.D.
Plymouth
George Murakawa, M.D.
Troy
Timothy Murphy, M.D.
Ludington
Mary Myrick, M.D.
Escanaba
David Nadeau, M.D.
Norton Shores
Vijay Naraparaju, M.D.
Grand Blanc
Gerald Natzke, D.O.
Flint
Alan Neiberg, M.D.
Lansing
Kristin Nikolakeas, D.O.
Grand Blanc
Billy Nordyke Jr, D.O.
Brownstown
Thomas Nussdorfer, M.D.
Traverse City
Justin Oldfield, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Allan Olson, D.O.
Marquette
Mariano Orca, M.D.
Sturgis
David Osher, M.D.
Franklin
Mark Ottmar, M.D.
Saint Joseph
Lakshmi Palakurthi, M.D.
Troy
Sarah Pasia, D.O.
Port Huron
Joel Pelavin, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
Jean-Marie Pierre, M.D.
Belleville
Linda Plizga, D.O.
Warren
Arturo Prada, M.D.
Rochester Hills
Ajay Raman, D.O.
Novi
Michael Raphelson, M.D.
Kalamazoo
Adriana Raus, M.D.
Owosso
Denise Rehfuss, M.D.
Lincoln Park
Tom Rifai, M.D.
Birmingham
Susan Ritter, M.D.
Marquette
Naheed Rizvi, M.D.
Midland
Cornelius Robens, M.D.
Traverse City
Kathleen Rollinger, D.O.
Clinton Township
Martin Romero, M.D.
Williamston
Michael Rosen, M.D.
Livonia
Dawn Rosser, M.D.
Hastings
Stacey Ruff, D.O.
Rochester Hills
Mubashir Sabir, M.D.
Farmington Hills
Lucille Saha, M.D.
Flint
Cheryl Sales, D.O.
Grand Rapids
Karen Samples, D.O.
Trenton
Raphael Sapeika, M.D.
Bloomfield Township
Geralyn Sarti, M.D.
Birmingham
Evon Schexnaydre, M.D.
Spring Lake
Steven Schlabach, D.O.
Rochester Hills
Patricia Schmidt, D.O.
Bloomfield Township
Robert Schneiderman, D.O.
Mason
John Schram, D.O.
Spring Lake
Mark Schury, D.O.
Macomb
Elizabeth Shadigian, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Brad Shammout, D.O.
Clinton Township
Colleen Sheehan, M.D.
Franklin
Laila Shehadeh, D.O.
Warren
Michael Sherbin, D.O.
Bloomfield Township
Regina Simone, D.O.
Northville
Ravinder Singala, M.D.
Grand Blanc
Edward Sladek, M.D.
Lansing
Frank Smith, M.D.
Ypsilanti
Malgorzata Sobilo, M.D.
Rochester Hills
Kim Soden, M.D.
Ann Arbor
Terri Steppe, D.O.
Petersburg
Andrew Sulich, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
Ibrahim Syed, M.D.
Saline
Mushtaque Syed, M.D.
Troy
Henry Szelag, D.O.
Weidman
Manharial Tejura, M.D.
Monroe
Travis Terrell, M.D.
Ceresco
Sharon Tice, M.D.
Novi
Teresita Timban, M.D.
Troy
Anh Tran, M.D.
Midland
William Trinkaus, M.D.
St. Clair Shores
John Trupiano, M.D.
Birmingham
Joyce Vaclav, D.O.
Grosse Ile
Mildred Vazquez, M.D.
Eastpointe
Alex Vlahopoulos, D.O.
Grand Rapids
Marit Vogel, M.D.
Petoskey
Leslie Walsh, D.O.
Rochester Hills
Steven Walvisch, M.D.
Mt. Pleasant
Ping Wang, M.D.
Warren
Rhonda Whelan, D.O.
Owosso
James Wiaduck, M.D.
Norton Shores
Marilyn Williams, M.D.
Brighton
Alvin Williams, M.D.
Detroit
Alicia Williams, D.O.
Kalamazoo
Gabriel Williams IV, M.D.
Grand Rapids
William Workman, D.O.
Kalamazoo
Daniel Yakimo, D.O.
Northville
Mohammed Zahoor, M.D.
Farmington
Nicole Zaremba, M.D.
Dewitt
A study by Physicians Committee doctors provided further evidence debunking heart failure
experiments on animals: “Insights gleaned from decades of animal-based research efforts have
not been proportional to research success in terms of deciphering human heart failure and
developing effective therapeutics for human patients,” wrote Charukeshi Chandrasekera, Ph.D.,
and John Pippin, M.D., in the American Journal of Translational Research.
“I urge you to end these senseless experiments as soon as possible.”
— Lily Tomlin, a Wayne State alumna, in her letter to Wayne State president M. Roy Wilson, M.D.
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 9CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Musicians Moby and Tony Kanal and actor Kristin Bauer wear Physicians Committee’s #EndDogExperiments T-shirts.
EndDogExperiments.org
Plant-based diets lower
the risk of heart disease in obese
children.
Eating at least 2.5
cups of fruits and vegetables per day can reduce the risk of cardiovascular
disease.
Birth
Toddlers
Elementary School
Teenagers
Babies bornto overweight
mothers havethickened
aortas.
7 in 10packaged toddler
meals have excess sodium.
Only 2 in 10kids eat 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
23% of 2- to5-year-olds areoverweight or
obese.
Pizza is the second leading
source of calories in teens’ diets.
Signs of atherosclerosis and hypertension can appear at age 5.
6 in 10 childreneat too much saturated fat.
9 in 10 kidseat excess
sodium.
1 in 5 teens has high
cholesterol.
By ages 17-21,half a million Americansare eligible for statins.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
1 in 3 kidsis overweight
or obese.
Roadto HeartDisease
the risk of heart disease in obese
High-potassium diets help teens
lower blood pressure.
The causes and effects of heart disease are already well understood. This 2015 Physicians Committee infographic traces the development of heart disease in early life.
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 9CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
10 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Their experiments take attention away from the real causes of illness…
10 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
“With the exception of genetic factors and smoking, diet and exercise are the biggest
determinants of risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension and cancer. Yet, people still
turn to medication and surgery as the first choice for treatment. I
support PCRM because it has been a leader in reversing this trend
by making vegan diets mainstream and educating people about
the health risks associated with eating animal products.”
—Gary K. Michelson, M.D., president of the Michelson Medical Research Foundation
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 11CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Killer Cholesterol
When the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee announced in February 2015 that “cholesterol
is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption,” the Physicians Committee said, “no so fast,”
and began working to keep cholesterol warnings in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Decades of science have conclusively linked dietary cholesterol to cardiovascular disease, which
kills nearly 2,200 Americans daily.
In March, Physicians Committee president Neal Barnard, M.D., presented oral testimony at the
National Institutes of Health, stating that “for all its good work, the Committee made a scientific
error on cholesterol and to carry this glaring mistake into the Guidelines is not scientifically
defensible.”
Following the nearly year-long campaign including petitions, oral testimony, billboards, and
threat of legal action by the Physicians Committee, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
released in early January 2016 retained—and strengthened—recommendations for Americans
to limit cholesterol consumption—a major rebuff for the purveyors of high-cholesterol food
products. A Physicians Committee lawsuit is still demanding an investigation into food industry
financial pressures that nearly toppled cholesterol warnings.CholesterolKills.org
#CholesterolKills billboards urged the House Agriculture Committee to keep the Dietary Guidelines free of industry influence.
“The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which advocates a vegan diet, announced that they were filing a lawsuit against the government over its decision to drop the 300-milligram cholesterol limit from the guidelines. The group said that members of the dietary guidelines advisory committee had close ties to the egg industry and that they had relied too heavily on industry-funded studies.”
—New Dietary Guidelines Urge Less Sugar for All and Less Protein for Boys and Men, Jan. 7, 2016.
12 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
The Western Diet
China and India—countries with traditional plant-based diets—have been inundated with
burgers, pizza, and fried chicken. The result: obesity, heart disease, and diabetes epidemics.
In 2015, Physicians Committee experts toured both countries to promote plant-based disease
prevention.
Zeeshan Ali, Ph.D.
Building a Healthy India booklet, tour poster, and Ingredient Substitution Chart in Hindi
Chengdu #37 Middle School
Kickstart China program specialist Jia Xu,
Ph.D., visited 28 cities in China, where he
spoke to nearly 9,000 people and handed
out Vegetarian Starter Kits in Mandarin at
hospitals, hotels, yoga studios, festivals,
corporations, restaurants, and schools.
Zeeshan Ali, Ph.D., Kickstart India
program specialist, went to India
where he gave presentations in Bhopal,
Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad,
and Bangalore. At his presentations, he
distributed literature in Hindi on health
concerns about dairy products, diet
and diabetes, and the protein myth.
PCRM.org/India and PCRM.org/China
Mandarin Vegetarian Starter Kit
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 13CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Hazardous Hospital Foods
Five hospitals featured in the Physicians Committee’s 2015 report “Hazardous Hospital Foods:
How Fast Food Jeopardizes Public Health” ended contracts with McDonald’s. Another will
terminate its contract this spring.
The Cleveland Clinic, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Texas, and
Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Fla., all ended contracts with the fast-food chain.
Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minn., will end its lease this May.
PCRM.org/Hospital
“Seeing this in a children’s hospital—that’s the most vulnerable population. Fast food is not going to help children get better.”
—Physicians Committee dietitian Cameron Wells, M.P.H., R.D., in “Do Your State’s Hospitals Serve Big Macs?” April 6, 2015
14 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
The Physicians Committee is moving research away from animal “models” to a new focus on human biology, nutrition, and health…14 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 15CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Transforming Nutrition Research
Many common health problems have their roots in diets based on meat and dairy products.
There is an urgent need to shift diets away from animal products and toward plant-based
choices. Research studies are a powerful tool. In 2015, the Physicians Committee began working
on a series of research studies that will be promoted to the press and to policymakers, leading to
the transformation of national nutrition policies and a major shift in the public’s eating habits in
favor of plant-based diets.
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 15CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
16 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Publishing Plant-Based Studies
Physicians Committee clinical research
published in leading medical journals in
2015 showed the wide-ranging health
benefits of a plant-based diet.
A meta-analysis published in the
Journal of the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics found that a vegetarian
diet causes weight loss—even in the
absence of exercise or calorie counting.
Research published in the American
Journal of Health Promotion found that
a low-fat, vegan dietary intervention in
the workplace improves productivity
and alleviates symptoms of anxiety
and depression. A low-fat vegan diet
may also reduce pain associated with
diabetic neuropathy, according to a
study published in Nutrition & Diabetes.
Ellen DeGeneres thought the weight-loss study was so important she shared it with her 50
million Twitter followers.
That same week, she celebrated her birthday by encouraging her fans to support the Physicians
Committee. A few days later, Drew Brees appeared on Ellen’s program with a $50,000 gift from
the Brees Dream Foundation to the Physicians Committee
Ellen DeGeneres Drew Brees
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 17CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Accelerating Alcohol and Antibodies Research
Alcohol
Physicians Committee experts continued to promote human-based alcohol disorder research
last year.
“Rather than continuing to funnel limited research funding into animal-related studies with
limited translational capacity,
NIAAA (National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
and other funding bodies
should invest in research aimed
at discovering methods for
educating women about the
effects of fetal alcohol exposure,
developing new diagnostic and
treatment paradigms, enhancing
family support networks,
and developing methods for
widespread implementation
of these measures,” wrote a
Physicians Committee expert in
a commentary published in the
Journal Alcohol and Alcoholism.
The American Public Health
Association passed a resolution
urging the National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to
allocate more funding for human-
based studies.
Antibodies
Antibody production is a massive
industry, since antibodies serve as
fundamental tools in biomedical research. The vast majority of research antibodies are produced
by live animals using procedures that are extremely painful and ultimately lethal. Physicians
Committee scientists are working to prove that antibodies made without harming animals are
as good as or better than those made in animals. Our goal is to demonstrate the viability of fully
in vitro antibodies, promote their acceptance by researchers, and force a change in the funding
requirements of the National Institutes of Health.
Charukeshi Chandrasekera,
Ph.D., Physicians Committee director of laboratory
science
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 17CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
18 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Our work is changing medical practice.
“It’s not just about medication. What we are really talking about it trying to change the way that people eat.”
—Kim Williams, M.D., president of the American College of Cardiology
Physicians Committee president Neal D. Barnard, M.D., and Kim Williams, M.D., at the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine: Cardiovascular Disease
18 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 19CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Our work is changing medical practice.
Healing Hearts
Nearly 500 health care professionals learned how to help their patients prevent and reverse
heart disease with a plant-based diet at the Physicians Committee’s International Conference
on Nutrition in Medicine: Cardiovascular Disease on July 31 and Aug. 1. The conference, which
was accredited by the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences,
featured an international panel of 21 cardiovascular disease researchers including Kim Williams,
M.D., president of the American College of Cardiology, who began
following a vegan diet in 2003 to improve his own heart health.
Each attendee received new Dietary Guidelines for Atherosclerosis
Treatment and Prevention, developed by the Physicians
Committee, giving them a tool to help their patients combat the
early signs and advanced stages of cardiovascular disease, the
leading cause of death worldwide.
PCRM.org/Conference
Baxter Montgomery, M.D., and Theresa Stone, M.D., at Physicians Committee Leadership Summit
20 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
We are working on Capitol Hill.
20 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 21CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Championing New Chemical Testing Methods
Since 2005, the Physicians Committee has worked with the federal government and industry to
include reforms that would reduce animal testing in the 40-year-old Toxic Substances Control
Act of 1976. In 2015, the Senate passed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st
Century Act, a bill introduced by Sen. Tom
Udall (D-N.M.). The bill contains language
requiring chemical companies and the
Environmental Protection Agency to replace
and reduce animal tests and increase the use
of human-relevant methods.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a Lautenberg Act co-sponsor, and Dr. Barnard
Sen. Udall addresses attendees about the importance of the Lautenberg Act’s passage
Physicians Committee member Janell Lundgren, M.D., Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Physicians Committee president Neal Barnard, M.D., and regulatory testing policy specialist Aryenish Birdie
22 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
“If there is one thing that is certain in science, it’s that hot dogs are bad for you.”
—Physicians Committee president Neal Barnard, M.D., in “On the Hill, Annual Hot Dog Day Faces Another Challenger,” July 22, 2015
From Congress to schools to ballparks, the Physicians Committee continued to warn the country
about cancer-causing hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats.
In April, a
billboard warned
fans of the
IronPigs—an
Allentown, Pa.,
minor league
baseball team
with processed-meat mascots including Chris P. Bacon—about bacon’s risks. The viral campaign
was covered by more than two dozen news outlets, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, MSN,
and Sports Illustrated.
Purging Processed Meats
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 23CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
To counter the North American Meat
Institute’s annual July hot dog
lunch for members of Congress,
the Physicians Committee
hosted the Congressional
Veggie Burger Smackdown.
Members of Congress,
staffers, and the media voted
for their favorite veggie burger
inspired by four vegetarian members of
Congress: Arizona Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, Florida
Rep. Ted Deutch, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, and New
Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. The New Jersey Burger, topped
with a Slow-Cooked Tomato Chutney, prevailed with 36
percent of the vote.
When a World Health Organization report declared in October that processed meats are
“carcinogenic to humans,” the Physicians Committee filed a legal petition urging the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to stop distributing carcinogenic hot dogs and other processed
meats to children through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
Rep. Ted Deutch votes for the Florida-inspired veggie burger.
“As you enjoy these veggie burgers, think about how much better this meal is going to be for you as compared to the kinds of things that are too much a part of the American diet in large part because of decisions, unfortunately, made [in Congress].”
—Florida Rep. Ted Deutch at the Congressional Veggie Burger Smackdown
DropTheDog.org
Neal Barnard, M.D., Ellen Kassoff Gray, Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, chef Todd Gray, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, and Rep. Steve CohenA packed room enjoys all four burgers, but has to pick a favorite.
24 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
We are giving millions of people …
24 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 25CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
… new tools
Schooling Scientists
Physicians Committee scientists strengthened relationships with industry and government
scientists from across the globe in 2015, furthering acceptance of nonanimal chemical test
methods.
Representatives from the Dow Chemical Company and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency were among the 60 experts who participated in a workshop at the National Institutes
of Health co-organized by the Physicians Committee to discuss in vitro alternatives to LD50
tests—which expose animals to chemicals through the skin, by mouth, or by inhalation. Species
differences often make results irrelevant to humans.
The Physicians Committee has already persuaded the UK to lead an ongoing project at the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which sets chemical testing
guidelines worldwide, to remove the LD50 skin test.
TailOfToxics.org
26 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Simulator demonstration for Congress: Laerdal’s SimMan Strategic Operation’s Cut Suit
“Speaking for myself and for all medical students who have expressed to me the same unsettling feelings, I would urge Johns Hopkins leadership to close the book on its live animal lab.”
—Richard Bruno, M.D., M.P.H., who works at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
Modernizing Medical Education
On Jan. 1, 2015, the U.S. Department of Defense transitioned from live animal use to simulators
in several medical training programs, a decision the Physicians Committee spent years
championing.
Building on that success, a Physicians Committee simulator demonstration for members of
Congress supported passage of the Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training (BEST)
Practices Act, which would eliminate the U.S. military’s use of all animals, including more than
8,500 goats and pigs, to teach military medics.
Dr. Bruno, second from right
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 27CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
The Physicians Committee also successfully
persuaded the University of Mississippi School of
Medicine, Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, the
University of Texas Medical Branch, Rush Medical
College, and the University of Utah to stop using
animals in 2015.
This year, the Physicians Committee will continue
to work with Dr. Bruno and other physicians
who want to end the use of animals in medical
training programs, including the last two U.S.
medical schools—Johns Hopkins University and
the University of Tennessee Health Science Center
College of Medicine in Chattanooga.
Gaumard’s Hal S3201
28 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
… new hope Alleviating Alzheimer’s Disease
A commentary in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease by Physicians Committee scientists called
for research efforts to shift from animal experiments to human-based methods, such as human
cells, computational models, and clinical studies.
“Animal models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been extensively utilized for decades…
However, research success has not effectively translated into therapeutic success for human
patients,” wrote Francesca
Pistollato, Ph.D. “Our analysis
indicates that a paradigm shift
toward human-based, rather
than animal-based research is
required in the face of the ever-
increasing prevalence of AD in
the 21st century.”
Plant-based diets also play
a crucial role in fighting
Alzheimer’s. In a public service
announcement, actor Alec
Baldwin, a longtime Physicians
Committee supporter, told
viewers, “Vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, and beans can help
keep your
brain strong
and memory
sharp. Let’s
eat right
to fight
Alzheimer’s.”
PCRM.org/Alzheimers
Alec Baldwin
28 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYS
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 29CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Fighting Diabetes
The Physicians Committee’s director of diabetes education and care Caroline Trapp, D.N.P.,
A.N.P.-BC, C.D.E., F.A.A.N.P., continued to work with the Navajo Nation to help its citizens fight
diabetes with a plant-based diet.
At the Navajo Nation Research Conference, Dr. Trapp joined nutritionists who presented the
Diné (Navajo) Power Plate, based on the Physicians Committee’s Power Plate, and featuring
images of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans common in the Navajo Nation.
The Navajo Nation’s leaders also proclaimed: “Now, therefore, be it resolved, the month of
November 2015 is hereby proclaimed as Navajo Nation Diabetes Awareness and Prevention
Month…to encourage all citizens of the Navajo Nation to commit to…eating more plant-based
meals such as vegetables and fruits...”
Dr. Trapp is now expanding her work to promote better health in Native American communities.
Educators from the Navajo Nation, seven pueblos in New Mexico, and the Gallup Indian Medical
Center have also participated in an introductory workshop and a series of six conference calls to
gain a basic understanding of the science of plant-based nutrition for diabetes prevention.
ThePowerPlate.org
… new lives2015 ANNUAL REPORT 29CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Physicians Committee’s Caroline Trapp (second from right) at the Navajo Nation Research Conference
30 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Students at Walker Jones Education Campus participated in a plant-based lunch pilot program.
“A handful of American food and agriculture companies are receiving hundreds of millions of dollars by selling processed meats that are ending up in school lunchrooms and contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic.”
—The Guardian covers the Physicians Committee’s school lunch report in “Watchdog Group Calls for Less Processed Meats in School Cafeterias,” Aug. 31, 2015
Powered-Up Pasta with Chickpeas
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 31CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
… new futures Improving School Lunches
Physicians Committee nutrition experts partnered with D.C. Central Kitchen for a plant-
based lunch pilot program with more than 400 students at Walker Jones Education Campus in
Washington, D.C. With the school’s support, they tracked how students responded to having
vegan options added to the cafeteria’s daily menu.
The offerings—including Powered-Up Pasta, Veg-
Out Chili, Southwest Energy Burgers, and Barbecue
Tofu Bites—were a hit with students. For many
students, this was the first time they tried foods rich
in vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, and
heart-healthy plant protein.
D.C. Central Kitchen (DCCK) at Walker Jones also
won the grand prize in the Physicians Committee’s
2015 Golden Carrot Award for improving school
lunches. The other winners were the Village School
in Eugene, Ore., Atlanta Public Schools, Odyssey
Charter Schools in Orlando, Fla., and the Santa
Barbara Unified School District in California.
GoldenCarrotAward.org
Golden Carrot Awards2015
32 2015 ANNUAL REPORT PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
Board of Directors
Neal D. Barnard, M.D., President
Russell Bunai, M.D., Treasurer and Secretary
Mindy Kursban, Esq., Chairperson
Mark Sklar, M.D., Director
Barbara Wasserman, M.D., Director
Scientific Advisory Board
Ron R. Allison, M.D., 21st Century Oncology
Ted Barnett, M.D., Rochester Lifestyle Medicine, PLLC; Borg & Ide Imaging, P.C.
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., Cornell University
Neil Cooper, M.D., M.H.A., M.Sc., Kaiser Permanente
Brenda Davis, R.D.
Garth Davis, M.D., The Davis Clinic
Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., M.D., The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute
Joanne Evans, A.P.R.N., Healthy Nurses…Healthy Communities, LLC
Joel Fuhrman, M.D., Nutritional Research Foundation
Roberta Gray, M.D., Pediatric Nephrology Consultant
Daran Haber, M.D., Riverview Medical Center
Henry Heimlich, M.D., The Heimlich Institute
David J.A. Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto
Lawrence H. Kushi, Sc.D., Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente
John McDougall, M.D., Dr. McDougall’s Health & Medical Center
Jeffrey I. Mechanick, M.D., Mount Sinai Hospital
Baxter Montgomery, M.D., Montgomery Heart and Wellness
Carl Myers, M.D., Switch Healthcare
Ana Negrón, M.D.
Robert Ostfeld, M.D., M.Sc., F.A.C.C., Montefiore Medical Center
Affiliations are listed for identification only.
Leadership
2015 ANNUAL REPORT 33CHANGING MEDICINE. SAVING LIVES.
Contributions and Donations ........................$ 8,565,383
Legacies and Bequests ...................................$ 3,120,314
Grants ..............................................................$ 389,380
Other Revenue ................................................$ 593,673
Total Support and Revenue ...........................$ 12,668,750
Program ServicesResearch Advocacy .................. $ 3,325,881 Clinical Research ...................... $ 144,420 Nutrition Education ................. $ 1,874,666 Legal Advocacy ........................ $ 229,355Publications .............................. $ 641,798 Education and Policy ................ $ 560,658 Communications ...................... $ 963,624
Total Program Services ..................................$ 7,740,402
Operations ......................................................$ 1,012,165
Membership Development/Fundraising ......$ 1,925,097
Total Expenses ................................................$ 10,677,664
Support and Revenue
Expenses
Net Assets, End of Year: $ 15,976,835
Program Services 72.49%Research Advocacy, Clinical Research, Nutrition
Education, Legal Advocacy, Publications, Education and Policy, Communications
Operations 9.48%
Membership Development/Fundraising
18.03%
Contributions and Donations 67.61%
Legacies and Bequests 24.63%
Grants 3.07%
Other Revenue 4.69%Investment Income, Merchandise Sales,
Services, Rental and Other Income
2015 Consolidated Fiscal Year Report
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