Latest news with #OHSU
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Animal advocates want proposed Oregon bill amended to close OHSU primate center
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Animal advocates have taken a public hearing on a proposed bill as an opportunity to urge lawmakers to shut down the Oregon National Primate Research Center. The House Committee On Emergency Management, General Government, and Veterans held the hearing on on Tuesday. Although the measure would ban research facilities from using public funds to cover 'medically unnecessary' testing on dogs and cats, several people provided testimony on why the proposal should also call for the closure of Oregon Health & Science University's monkey research lab. Downtown Vancouver street parking could no longer be free on weekends. Here's why The facility first opened after accepting its first group of rhesus macaques in the 1960s. Since then, OHSU has reported that the primates help boost patient care by teaching researchers more about vaccines and cures for diseases like Parkinson's, measles and mumps. But in recent years, activists with groups like the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and have accused the university of abusing the monkeys by keeping them confined in tight areas and neglecting to treat them when they're sick. 'One of the facts that's irrefutable about the primate center is that it has violated the federal Animal Welfare Act repeatedly year after year,' Lake Oswego resident Amy Meyer, who testified on behalf of PETA, said at SB 181's hearing. 'They cannot get it right and every violation cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture means horrific suffering and often a terrible death has happened to the monkeys caged there.' Amid the renewed push to close the primate center, its ability to care for the animals and the importance of the research. In a statement issued last month, the university emphasized that its work is heavily regulated by federal officials and there are veterinary specialists that address the monkeys' medical and dental needs. The institution has also asserted it only uses animals for research that doesn't offer an alternative option. OHA: 'Alarming' rise in syphilis during pregnancy contribute to infant health issues 'We are working toward the goal of ultimately eliminating the need for animals, and specifically nonhuman primates, to conduct research,' OHSU said. 'Despite great advances in new approach methodology, the technology to eliminate animal research isn't there yet.' Following Tuesday's hearing, the House committee has scheduled another work session for SB 181. It is slated for Tuesday, May 20. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Child with ultra-rare genetic disease gets Star Wars day sendoff at PDX
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A 5-year-old boy with a rare genetic disorder got an out-of-this world experience when characters from a galaxy far, far away gave him a proper Star Wars day sendoff at Portland International Airport Sunday morning. At 17 months old, Raiden Pham was diagnosed with UBA5, an ultra-rare progressive and life-threatening genetic disorder. It can lead to severe movement disability, cognitive impairment, seizures, as well as complications affecting breathing, vision and the gastrointestinal system. Portland chef honored as Asian Pacific leader alongside 'Wicked' director, Bruno Mars According to OHSU, only 40 children in the entire world have been officially diagnosed. In a gift made possible by Make-A-Wish Oregon, Raiden and his family received a trip to Disney Aulani in Hawaii. But as they were making their way to the gate, in-costume volunteers from and the Concordia Clan greeted him in a sendoff fit for a Jedi knight. Tommy Pham, Raiden's father, thanked the crowd for being a part of 'such a special moment.' 'We're built on hope,' he said. 'We're on this journey to fight against this rare disease, to raise awareness, to fundraise for research and make the impossible, possible. May the Force be with you.' In 2021, Raiden's family also launched the Raiden Science Foundation, which spearheads privately funded research efforts to develop the first-ever clinical trial for UBA5 gene therapy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
OHSU takes public stance against calls to close primate research center
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Oregon Health and Science University has publicly sounded off against the push for the institution to close its monkey research facility. On Wednesday, the university published an announcement addressing animal advocates' claims on why the Oregon National Primate Research Center should be shut down. 'Usually somebody blabs': Tony White's 2005 death still unsolved People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, better known as PETA, asked the National Institutes for Health's Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare to investigate the OHSU center in mid-April. The organization's revealed a 4-year-old monkey died a 'painful death' from sepsis last year after people at the Beaverton facility ignored her symptoms. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has also slammed the research center, referring to it as a the university could replace by further investing in patient care. In response, OHSU said the claim 'compares apples to oranges.' The institution noted the facility is mostly funded by federal grants that only cover specific research efforts, which improve patient care by identifying new ways to treat diseases. The university also pushed back on animal advocates' argument that the research is cruel and unnecessary. 'While scientific advancements have introduced alternative non-animal models, this technology cannot fully replicate the complexity of a living system at this time,' OHSU . 'Nonhuman primate research remains critical for studying conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, infectious diseases and reproductive health — areas where animal-free methods cannot yet provide complete answers.' May Day rally in Salem defends immigrant workers' rights, opposes sanctuary city cuts The institution noted that animal research is heavily regulated by federal authorities. OHSU also claimed its primates grow up with their social groups and form bonds with researchers in the facility. Many of the university's points were shared in the rally that researchers held on the west campus last month, after Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek urged leaders to close the primate facility. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
PETA claims monkey died ‘painful death' at OHSU research center, requests investigation
PORTLAND, Ore. () — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is calling on federal leaders to investigate an Oregon research center after a monkey died a 'painful death' while in its care. In a sent to the director of the National Institutes for Health's Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, PETA urged the Division of Compliance Oversight to probe the Oregon National Primate Research Center. Feds add Portland site to list of properties up for 'accelerated disposition' Located on Oregon Health and Science University's West campus in Beaverton, the facility has been accused of ignoring the symptoms of a Japanese macaque that died from sepsis last October. The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited this incident in its inspection report from March 4. The a technician neglected to notify a veterinarian when the 4-year-old female monkey was found 'lying down multiple times' the day before her death. 'The failure to report unexpected signs of illness/distress such as repeatedly lying down to ensure timely delivery of veterinary medical care directly impacted the welfare of this animal,' USDA wrote. The department further noted that several other animals spent 96 hours in an enclosure that did not meet regulators' minimum space requirements. Harassment in Vancouver: Hypnosis, witchcraft, scare tactics Amy Meyer, associate director of PETA's primate experimentation campaigns, argued the facility is likely in noncompliance with NIH's Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 'We urge your office to thoroughly investigate the failures detailed in the USDA inspection report and assess whether OHSU has complied with its obligation to self-report problems in its laboratories,' Meyer wrote. 'Prompt and decisive action is warranted to address these apparent violations and to help prevent future lapses in oversight and animal welfare.' The facility has received plenty of backlash from animal rights activists and, in response, researchers held an of their work just a few weeks ago. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has asked OHSU to close the center in response to the pushback, but the institution contends it is committed to providing humane treatment. TriMet warns of 'drastic' service cuts without funding boost in Oregon transportation package The university also 'implemented measures to prevent a recurrence' of the death at the center of PETA's complaint, according to its statement to KOIN 6. 'Dozens of highly trained veterinary professionals engage with these animals daily to ensure their ongoing safety, enrichment, health and well-being,' OHSU said. 'These dedicated individuals develop strong bonds with the animals entrusted to their care — often for many years, and, in some cases, decades – so, the unexpected death of any animal is distressing, and their passing is grieved.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Proposed OHSU-Legacy merger faces opposition from community review board
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The community review board tasked with assessing Oregon Health and Science University's proposed takeover of Legacy Health has disapproved of the merger, but it could still actualize. The board opposed the business deal on Monday, April 7. The Oregon Health Authority specifically formed the group, which consists of six community members with some sort of connection to the healthcare industry, to evaluate the proposal that was . Oregon settles with opioid company accused of 'deceptively' marketing products to doctors The merger would combine more than 32,000 employees and 100 locations from the nonprofit health system Legacy and public research university OHSU. While the education institution has committed to investing $1 billion into expanded services for the joint system, and therefore benefitting patients, . During the community review board's first vote on Monday, three members disapproved of the merger and two approved it 'with conditions.' The group unanimously opposed it during the second round. After hearing further feedback from other board members, Wendi Martin said she would change her vote because 'both systems would suffer even greater losses.' She cited potential issues for the smaller entity, like a lack of staffing at hospital beds and at some of its more rural sites. 'There may also be an opportunity for OHSU to acquire or partner in a different way with specific facilities or specific sectors of Legacy, but ultimately, this is too big, too many risks for us to put enough regulators on,' Martin added. The board has until Apr. 16 to write a final recommendation report, but OHA's Health Care Market Oversight program will have the ultimate say on whether the merger can go through. Two children found dead in family home attended Cornelius Elementary School In a statement, the Oregon Nurses Association said it is 'confident' the deal will be approved. 'ONA strongly supports this acquisition because it will drastically increase our ability to recruit and retain more frontline caregivers while increasing access to high-quality care for Oregonians,' the organization stated, in part. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
