ACTION ALERT:
Contact:
Dr. Judy Genshaft, President,
University of South Florida System
[email protected]
Dr. Genshaft,
I am calling on you to immediately terminate the West Nile Virus experiments conducted at USF on Zebra Finches. The Principal Investigator of this potentially dangerous project has violated federal guidelines multiple times, and should not be permitted to work with animals ever again. USF recently made the statement: "USF believes in the respectful and ethical treatment of animals in research projects." If this is true, then repeat violators must not be allowed to continue to abuse animals.
Watchdog: USF suspends West Nile
projects after failed protocol
By
WTSP.com, April 6, 2017
TAMPA, Fla. -- The University of South Florida has suspended four West
Nile Virus projects due to a failure to handle protocol and sanitation
rules, according to a watchdog group.
A report to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee said that on
Aug, 7, 2016, eight gerbils were injected with Brugia malayi larvae. The
next day four of the gerbils were dead, and four others were near death and
then were euthanized. A review found that the samples might have been
contaminated.
Click
here to USF letters in the case (PDF).
This is a statement from USF:
"During a routine self-inspection in October 2016, a University of South
Florida veterinarian discovered possible noncompliance with the protocols of
one researcher’s West Nile projects that involved eight birds. Following the
university’s standard procedure, the matter was self-reported to the
appropriate USF oversight committee and federal agencies. After a review of
the circumstances, it was determined that there was deviation from the
research protocol. As a result, a total of four West Nile projects being
conducted by the same researcher at one facility were temporarily suspended.
In January 2017, the federal agencies notified USF that they have accepted
the corrective steps put in place by the university and consider the matter
closed. West Nile studies have now resumed.
"As an institution, USF believes in the respectful and ethical treatment of
animals in research projects. The university has a vigorous review and
training process. USF will continue to abide by all state and federal laws
and guidelines."
SAEN, a nongovernmental watchdog group that monitors the nation's research
facilities for wrongdoing, found the information in government records.
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