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Animal activist group claims 116
animals died of neglect at IU School of Medicine
By Dominick Jean,
IDSNews.com, May 18, 2018
A national group of animal activists has claimed in a recent press
release the IU School of Medicine is responsible for the deaths of 116 test
animals and the injuries of others.
The organization, Stop Animal Exploitation Now, is an Ohio-based group which
claims to have uncovered the information by obtaining internal University
letters and correspondence.
The 17 IU reports SAEN obtained and released detailed various conditions and
situations which developed over the course of several months, from April
2016 to October 2017.
One document details how 40 mice were accidentally drowned in their cages,
while another report says 15 mice went through a procedure, suffering
unnecessary pain and distress and later died as a result.
Findings from the reports also mention mice were not given enough
anesthetic during surgery and experienced dirty and poor conditions. Other
incidents included several mice starving and the malfunctioning of a hypoxia
chamber, causing six rats to suffocate in a chamber.
"This is shocking. And the reality is that Indiana University School of
Medicine considers these animals to be disposable," Michael Budkie, SAEN
executive director, said. "Otherwise they wouldn't have allowed these
animals to die of starvation, dehydration, suffocation and drowning."
Budkie and SAEN have called for an independent investigation into IUSM and
the multiple cases of what they call negligence and research malfeasance.
SAEN claimed these documents were "uncovered' and never meant to be
available to the public. The University denies that claim saying it followed
procedure by submitting those reports to the appropriate public agencies.
Chuck Carney, IU's director of media relations, said the documents are all
public ones which IU sent to the respective oversight agencies and are
freely available.
"This group has not uncovered any documents, simply made them much more
publicly available," Carney said via email.
A University statement Carney provided emphasized that IU maintains the
highest professional standards of care for animals and is in full compliance
with national guidelines and rules. The IU School of Medicine also passed
two external site reviews by both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a
private nonprofit group for the promotion of humane animal treatment,
according to the IU release.
"All cited incidents, which involved mice and rats, were self-reported,
demonstrating that the university is diligent in monitoring and taking
corrective action when necessary," the release stated. "In each case, the
filings were approved and accepted by the Office of Laboratory Animal
Welfare."
Researchers at IU School of Medicine are involved with trying to improve
treatments for brain injuries, pediatric care and to come up with cures to
illnesses like cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and to improving
overall patient health both in Indiana and abroad.
"The university and school strive to have no incidents involving laboratory
research and continuously assess protocols and procedures to make
improvements when possible," according to the IU release.
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