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Press Releases Pharmaceutical/Testing Companies Among Nation’s Leaders for Federal Violations, Says Watchdog Group
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Contact: Michael Budkie
513-575-5517; 513-703-9865 (cell)
Washington, DC
– SAEN, a national research watchdog organization, has placed
pharmaceutical/testing companies Merck, Covance (VA & PA), Boehringer
Ingelheim (CT), SNBL (WA), and Charles River (MA) among the nation’s
worst facilities for violations of federal law.
“Drug and testing companies are violating
federal law on a regular basis and endangering the health of the
American People as a result,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive
Director, SAEN. “It should surprise no one that drugs like Vioxx came
out of the Merck Corporation, where federal law is broken almost every
month.”
Government reports reveal that Merck
violated federal law 8 times during a nine-month monitoring period, and
has continued to break federal regulations since the monitoring period.
Merck’s troubles accelerated following the
monitoring period, racking up 10 IACUC violations in only 3 months. One
infraction involved an allegedly illegal surgery which drilled holes
into the skull of an animal, and penetrated the brain.
Charles River violated federal law 22 times
in the monitoring period, including an incident that left dozens of dogs
with bleeding paws.
The SNBL lab violated federal law eight
times, while killing over 20 marmosets through negligence.
Boehringer Ingelheim violated federal
regulations 19 times in nine months including incidents where primates
died in cage washers.
Covance labs in Pennsylvania and Virginia
combined for 42 federal violations including starving dogs and denying
veterinary care to animals with broken bones.
Government reports reveal that collectively
drug/drug testing labs violate the Animal Welfare Act almost three times
every week. Common infractions are in the areas of inadequate
veterinary care, institutional animal care & use committees, and
housing/facilities/sanitation.
“Drug/testing companies violate federal
laws regularly endangering human health and abusing animals,” said
Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN. “The public has a
right to know that the companies we depend on for drug safety regularly
ignore government regulations.”
The government reports and ranking
statistics are available upon request.
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