From WI Radio Network which goes out to 55 stations across

Primate Experimentation Scandal

by Jackie Johnson

Alliance for Animals and "Stop Animal Exploitation Now" are bringing attention to Primate Liberation week (26th-30th), by talking about the information showing the waste in research.

The government watchdog group "Stop Animal Exploitation Now" documents how researchers spend billions of tax dollars over four decades yet fail to deliver any real discoveries for human health.

Cynthia Lott with the Alliance for Animals says through National Primate Centers across the country -- including UW-Madison -- there has been a huge waste of time, taxpayers' money, and animals' lives.

"We're talking about millions and millions of dollars, of taxpayers money, going to primate research for neurological, drug addiction, alcoholic studies that have nothing to do with curing cancer or aids or any true diseases that effect humans." Lott says what's worse, is a lot of money is wasted and researchers continue to receive many duplicate grants for the same project.

But, what about the consequences? "Well we are asking people to write their state legislators to request a general accounting office investigation of the National Institute of Health funded animal experimentation. We want them to really look into this and to see where the NIH is wasting and spending millions of our tax dollars every year for duplicative research for unnecessary research. This has got to end. It's such a waste on so many different levels." Lott says the Primate Center system should be evaluated through an independent audit for potential violations of the Animal Welfare act. Lott also says legal action should be taken against the various Primate Centers for functioning as animal dealers without a license.