Colombian officials halt research, seize animals at NIH-supported facility after alleged monkey mistreatment
The couple that runs the operation also falsified ethics approvals for both human and animal studies that could affect
at least 24
papers published in
Nature Communications
,
Redox Biology
,
Vaccine
,
PLOS ONE
,
PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
, and elsewhere,
Retraction Watch reported
yesterday, citing allegations by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). PETA conducted an
18-month investigation
of the animal facility, part of the
Caucaseco Scientific Research Consortium
in the Colombian city of Cali.
Colombian authorities, according to PETA, found the animals confined in rusted, feces-caked cages in a pen made of chainlink fence and plastic sheeting. One baby monkey was found dead there and 21 animals disappeared without any documentation of their fate, PETA also noted.
Since 2003, NIH
has funded $17 million
of research at the campus, which is reportedly run by a Colombian couple, Myriam Arévalo-Herrera and Sócrates Herrera, who live there. Herrera is listed as the principal investigator on an
NIH grant worth $582,000
this year.
According to a Colombian court and government documents, the couple is fighting the monkey seizure, which was
executed in February
by the regional environmental agency, on the same day
Colombia’s attorney general announced
a criminal investigation of the facility...
Source: ScienceNOW - Category: Science Source Type: news
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