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