From Emily Hemphill, DailyProgress.com, June 7, 2024
Two researchers at the University of Virginia had their animal-handling privileges suspended after reports showed they regularly neglected their own protocols and harmed multiple animals on federally funded projects.
The pair, whose names have not been released, had their animal-handling
privileges suspended for 30 days after the Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee found that they repeatedly violated a number of standard operating
procedures during their experiments.
The committee, which oversees the welfare of animals used in research,
testing and education in the U.S., found that the UVa researchers failed to
keep adequate scientific records, monitor the welfare of animals
post-operation or provide pain relief medication to a rat and three mice.
With the 30-day suspension ended, the pair will be required to take
additional training and monitor policies before having their animal-handling
privileges restored.
The punishment, however, has not satisfied all animal rights activists.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now, an Ohio-based national watchdog that
opposes the use of animals in any form of research, is calling on UVa
President Jim Ryan to enact more severe consequences.
“It is quite clear that due to the nature of the violations this punishment
was not severe enough,” Michael Budkie, the group’s co-founder and executive
director, wrote in a letter to Ryan dated June 3. “Instead, the animal use
privileges of these individuals should have been revoked permanently,
because anyone who is this incapable of following federal regulations should
never be allowed to work with animals again.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now, an Ohio-based national watchdog that opposes
the use of animals in any form of research, is calling on UVa President Jim
Ryan to enact more severe consequences.
“It is quite clear that due to the nature of the violations this punishment
was not severe enough,” Michael Budkie, the group’s co-founder and executive
director, wrote in a letter to Ryan dated June 3. “Instead, the animal use
privileges of these individuals should have been revoked permanently,
because anyone who is this incapable of following federal regulations should
never be allowed to work with animals again.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now, an Ohio-based national watchdog that opposes
the use of animals in any form of research, is calling on UVa President Jim
Ryan to enact more severe consequences.
“It is quite clear that due to the nature of the violations this punishment
was not severe enough,” Michael Budkie, the group’s co-founder and executive
director, wrote in a letter to Ryan dated June 3. “Instead, the animal use
privileges of these individuals should have been revoked permanently,
because anyone who is this incapable of following federal regulations should
never be allowed to work with animals again.”
“It’s not just a criticism of researchers; it’s a criticism of UVa not
monitoring individuals and not training them properly,” said Budkie. “The
idea that a project could be done this poorly, that those performing don’t
even know what’s supposed to be happening, it’s very much a non sequitur.”
“It also indicates that, the way this research is being done, it has very
little to do with science. How do you perform an experience and not keep
track of records?” he added.
In a prepared statement, UVa spokeswoman Bethanie Glover told The Daily
Progress that UVa reports all compliance issues to the Institutional Animal
Care and Use Committee as well as other federal entities, which then issue a
final corrective action plan.
“The University takes its responsibility for the care and use of animals
seriously. UVA is an educational environment, so in all cases such as these
we work to train and educate individuals with animal handling
responsibilities so that rare compliance issues are not repeated,” Glover
said. “UVA is committed to quality care for animals in our research
facilities, with an Office of Animal Welfare and many relevant
accreditations to support and enforce that dedication.
While the university may consider the matter resolved, the letter Budkie sent to Ryan demanded a response, within five days, to his appeal to permanently revoke the two researchers’ animal-handling privileges. He’s skeptical he will hear back.
Budkie said his organization is prepared to bring the fight to the source
of such projects: the federal agencies that provide the funding, such as the
National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation and, depending on
the subject matter, the Department of Defense.
The group will begin to determine whether there are other areas of
noncompliance with the university’s research branch in order to substantiate
the claim that the recent animal abuse is a result of a systemic problem.
Such an allegation could cause UVa to lose millions in federal grants as
well as its animal welfare assurance.
In terms of funding, the university has a lot to lose. In 2023, the National
Institute of Health increased its financial support of the UVa School of
Medicine by almost $20 million, bringing the total to $174.2 million. As
large as that sum is, the figure does not represent all of the unrestricted
federal dollars allocated to medical research, the field that dominates
animal-based studies, according to Budkie.
Every research institute designates an indirect cost level to address any
expenses a federal grant may not cover. Budkie said levels are rarely below
50%; he’s even seen them exceed 100% of the grant. With that in mind, he
estimates that animal-based research at UVa could be receiving upwards of
$85 million annually.
“That explains why it’s defended so strenuously, it has nothing to do with
science,” he said. “Bringing in research dollars in the current economic
environment is a way that a university gets things like raises and new
staff, because so much of that funding is unrestricted. It’s not about
anything other than funding.”
Though the general public may not share the same concerns as Budkie or Stop
Animal Exploitation Now for the welfare of lab mice, Budkie said he still
believes people have a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent.
“Even if you don’t care about the animals, people should be concerned about
this,” he said. “This is where their money is going.”