Dr
Janis H. Audin (MSc Illinois 1975, DVM Illinois 1979), a champion
of progressive veterinary medical journalism and ‘One Health’
died on 22 April 2009 following a long, courageous and difficult
battle with pancreatic cancer. The world has lost a truly significant
One Health leader and advocate. Under her guidance, the Journal
of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA)
implemented a ‘one-health
wonders’
column that recognised and highlighted prominent One Health individuals
among the medical and veterinary medical professions in the United
States. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
has lost a dedicated and gifted editor-in-chief.
Dr
Audin joined the editorial staff of the AVMA in 1985, as
an assistant editor and was promoted to associate editor in 1989
and editor in 1994. She became the editor-in-chief of both the JAVMA
and the American Journal of Veterinary Research in 1995.
Prior to that, Dr Audin practised as an associate veterinarian in
Calumet City, Illinois, for four years.
During
her tenure, Dr Audin was noted for implementing procedural and technological
changes in the journal to reduce costs, improve timeliness of publications
and promote readership interest and awareness. New features in the
News section introduced under her leadership have made the journals
more practical and public health-relevant. For instance, Dr Audin
fostered the United States Department of Agriculture’s
Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) ‘Inspection
Insights’
-
a public health-oriented
food safety monthly column related to meat, poultry and egg products
-
from 1996 through 1998. She also increased international manuscript
submissions.
On
23 March 2009 AVMA Executive Vice President Dr W. Ron DeHaven
named Dr Audin as editor-in-chief
emeritus of the Publications Division. Wisely, it also meant that
Dr Audin could continue contributing to the staff effort to ensure
the high quality of the AVMA scientific journals while the
Association began a comprehensive search for her successor.
Having
observed the JAVMA editors-in-chief
for 50 years, I consider her one of the best, if not the best of
a most distinguished list. Janis was a special personal friend and
my soul mate with respect to dealing with life-threatening cancer.
I deeply mourn her loss and will miss her.
Bruce
Kaplan, DVM
Dr
Bruce Kaplan is gratefully acknowledged for authorising the reproduction
of this text which was first published on the One Health Initiative
website (www.onehealthinitiative.com)
on Thursday, 23 April 2009
Please
also see the AVMA and JAVMA News articles at
www.avma.org/aa/audin_janis_090423.asp and www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/may09/090515ff.asp
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