The American Physiological Society
9650 Rockville Pike • Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3991 (USA) • Tel: 301-634-7164 • Fax: 301-634-7241
E-mail: webmaster@the-aps.org • Web: www.the-aps.org
October 26, 2012
PRESIDENT
Susan M. Barman
Michigan State University
PAST PRESIDENT
Joey P. Granger
University of Mississippi
Medical Center
Mr. Fredrick W. Smith
Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer
FedEx World Headquarters
942 South Shady Grove Road
Memphis, TN 38120
Dear Mr. Smith:
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Kim E. Barrett
University of California,
San Diego
COUNCILLORS
Kenneth Baldwin
University of California,
Irvine
Dennis Brown
Massachusetts General
Hospital
Pamela K. Carmines
University of Nebraska
College of Medicine
Ida Llewellyn-Smith
Flinders University
Marilyn P. Merker
Medical College of
Wisconsin
Patricia E. Molina
Louisiana State University
Health Sciences Center
Jane F. Reckelhoff
University of Mississippi
Medical Center
Alan F. Sved
I am writing on behalf of the American Physiological Society to thank FedEx for continuing to ship
animals for research. The APS knows that groups inalterably opposed to animal research are trying to put
pressure on various companies that ship any and every species of animal. These groups claim that animal
research is a pointless activity and that animals are mistreated. Rest assured that nothing could be further
from the truth.
Scientists are compassionate people motivated by the desire to develop treatments and cures for devastating
diseases. They study various animals including species such as flies, fish, frogs, worms and reptiles as
“model systems” to learn about basic biological processes. Understanding how these processes ought to
work provides clues to how best to stop or reverse diseases where these processes go awry.
There are numerous protections for research animals, including Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committees that review proposed research to ensure that animals are only used when necessary and that the
potential for pain or distress is minimized as much as possible. Research facilities are also required to
provide veterinary oversight to safeguard the animals’ care. Animal research is regulated by numerous
governmental and non-governmental authorities as well as professional codes of conduct. All these efforts
are intended to ensure humane treatment of animals and the highest quality science utilizing the fewest
animals. However, without animal studies, our efforts to find cures for devastating diseases will be
thwarted.
The 11,000 members of the APS deeply appreciate the role FedEx plays in making animals available when
and where they are needed.
Sincerely,
A
Susan Barman, PhD
President
University of Pittsburgh
cc:
William T. Talman
University of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Martin Frank
Mr. T. Michael Glenn, Exec. VP, Market Development and Corporate Communications
Mr. Alan Graf, Jr., Exec. VP, Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Christine Richards, Exec. VP, General Counsel and Secretary
Mr. Robert Carter, Exec. VP, Information Services and Chief Information Officer
The American Physiological Society is a professional association of 11,000 scientists, dedicated
to fostering research and education as well as the dissemination of scientific knowledge
concerning how the organs and systems of the body work. For further information, please contact
Ms. Alice Ra’anan at 301-634-7105 or araanan@the-aps.org.