Animal testing at the University of Washington

The University of Washington practices animal testing for a variety of purposes, including biomedical testing and paramedic training. Testing is performed by faculty from various departments across the university, and is conducted on animals including dogs, rabbits, primates, pigs, sheep, gerbils, bobcats, ferrets, and coyotes.[1] Testing on primates is done through the Washington National Primate Research Center, which is located on campus. Animal testing at UW is overseen by the university's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).[2]

Primate testing
Main article: Washington National Primate Research Center

Use of live pigs

Paramedic training

UW uses live pigs to train paramedics to perform a surgical airway procedure, in which a person's neck is cut into to create an emergency airway. This practice has received criticism from various individuals and organizations, including the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), members of the Washington House of Representatives, UW students, and paramedic Cindy Coker.[3][4][5] The PCRM reported that each year UW uses 20-40 pigs for this training, after which the pigs are euthanized. In January 2017, eight members of the Washington House of Representatives sent a letter to UW asking them to consider replacing the procedures on pigs with other methods.

Surgical training

In 2019, UW's medical school resumed using live pigs for surgical training after a five-year hiatus. This decision was criticized by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine as well as UW professor Lisa Jones-Engel.[6]

Incidents and controversies

From 2011 to 2012, a member of a research time failed to give a group of thirty rabbits proper pain relief medication. On February 5, 2013, the same person breached protocol by improperly administering another rabbit anesthesia during surgery.[7]

In 2013, a rabbit was discovered to have a fractured pelvis that resulted in paralysis and euthanasia. Although the lab claimed to have no explanation of what happened, it was discovered that a technician had handled the animal the previous day, and a necropsy suggested that the injury occurred on that day.[7]

In February 2014, the USDA found that a guinea pig had died after not receiving proper pain relief for a surgery three days prior.[7]

Animal Research and Care Facility (ARCF)

A significant amount of animal testing at UW takes place at the Animal Research and Care Facility (ARCF), which is located at the south end of UW Seattle's campus on NE Pacific St.[8]

Development

On November 14, 2013, UW's Board of Regents unanimously approved plans for a new animal testing lab.[9] The facility was initially budgeted at $123.5 million. In January 2017, the Board of Regents approved an additional $18.5 million to finish construction.[10]

Development of the lab was protested by animal rights activists. Several protests occurred during construction of the lab, with a large protest of about 500 people occurring on April 25, 2015.[11][12]

In 2015, it was revealed by a King County Superior Court case that UW's governing board, the Board of Regents, violated Washington's Open Public Meetings Act law by discussing the new animal lab at the UW president's home. The judge determined that the Board of Regents violated the law on 24 occasions from 2012 to 2014, by discussing the animal lab and other business over dinner.[13]

See also

References
  1. "USDA Annual Report of Research Facility No. 0180-DOA-AN". USDA. April 2, 2020.
  2. "IACUC | Office of Animal Welfare". University of Washington. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  3. Katey Rusch (October 21, 2016). "UW, Harborview: Stop using pigs to train paramedics, say critics". KING 5 News. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  4. Matthew Nash (February 14, 2018). "Sequim grad seeks UW to stop using pigs for paramedic training". Sequim Gazette.
  5. Melissa Santos (April 28, 2017). ""Lawmakers to University of Washington: Stop training paramedics on pigs | Tacoma News Tribune"". The News Tribune. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  6. Deborah Horne (May 31, 2019). "UW resumes controversial use of live animals in surgical training". KIRO-TV.
  7. Diane Forbes (February 28, 2014). "USDA Inspection Report 59141644580261". USDA.
  8. "Animal Research and Care Facility (ARCF) | Health Sciences Administration". University of Washington. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  9. Sandi Doughton (November 15, 2013). "UW approves new animal-research facility". The Seattle Times.
  10. Katherine Long (January 13, 2017). "UW plugs $18.5 million gap to finish animal lab". The Seattle Times.
  11. Jack Broom (April 25, 2015). "Hundreds of activists protest against new UW animal lab". The Seattle Times.
  12. Katherine Long (October 1, 2015). "Animal-rights activists plan march to protest construction of UW Lab". The Seattle Times.
  13. Katherine Long (April 24, 2015). "UW broke state open-meetings law 24 times, judge rules". The Seattle Times.
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