President McRobbie:

Dr. Laurie Glimcher, a member of the New York Blood Center Board of Trustees, is scheduled to receive the Indiana University Steven C. Beering Award on September 24, 2015. For the reasons below, Indiana University should cancel the award to Dr. Glimcher. 

In March of 2015, the New York Blood Center (NYBC) terminated funding for the care of 66 of its former research chimpanzees in Liberia leaving them at risk of death from thirst and starvation. For years, NYBC used these chimpanzees in medical research, infecting them with various strains of hepatitis, river blindness and other viruses. When the chimps were no longer needed, NYBC placed them on man-made islands where they remain completely dependent on humans for delivery of food and water. NYBC publicly proclaimed its ethical responsibility to care for them and stated they would provide funding for their lifetime care.

But in March, 2015, NYBC terminated all funding. The chimps have been completely abandoned by NYBC. The water systems on some islands were not even functional when funding was suspended. Dr. Brian Hare, an assistant professor at Duke University, has stated "They've made over $400 million in profits off of the patents that the chimpanzees were involved in. And they just left them to die, literally to starve or dehydrate."

NYBC's shocking lack of compassion and corporate social responsibility has generated worldwide condemnation. Dr. Jane Goodall has issued an open letter to NYBC's CEO, Dr. Christopher Hillyer, condemning the actions of NYBC. In her letter she states "I find it completely shocking and unacceptable that NYBC would abandon these chimpanzees and discontinue support for even their basic needs."

A petition created by Dr. Brian Hare calling for NYBC to fulfill its ethical responsibility for their care has gathered nearly 200,000 signatures. A coalition of organizations has been formed to provide emergency relief to the chimpanzees. These include the Jane Goodall Institute, the Humane Society, Arcus Foundation, Born Free, and others. These organizations are diverting badly needed resources to care for the chimps left behind by NYBC.  

As a member of the New York Blood Center Board of Trustees, Dr. Glimcher is complicit in her organization's decision to abandon its former research chimpanzees with no plan in place for their care. She has remained silent for months while individual donors and other charities assume the burden of NYBC's chimpanzees. Her silence is a tacit endorsement of NYBC's unethical conduct and egregious lack of corporate social responsibility. Clearly, this conduct is not in accordance with the ethical standards and principles of Indiana University. Please take a stand for ethics in medicine and research and cancel the award to Dr. Glimcher.