FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Contact: Michael Budkie, SAEN (National), 513-575-5517
Steve Rayshick, MARC (Local) 978-257-7062

attn: News Desk

Federal Complaint filed Against Harvard for Electric Shock Experiment; Group Names Charles River, Harvard, MIT, McLean to ’Worst Labs’ List

SOUTHBOROUGH/BOSTON, MA – A National Research Watchdog Organization has filed a Federal Complaint against the Harvard Medical School for performing two separate experiments on primates involving pain without anesthesia. According to Medical School records one project subjects primates to electric shock while a second stresses monkeys so severely that they attack their own bodies.

According to SAEN, USDA reports and Harvard’s own documents reveal that the school’s National Primate Research Center in Southborough has subjected at least 26 monkeys to unrelieved pain without disclosing this to federal regulators, a clear violation of the Animal Welfare Act. An Official Complaint was been filed with the USDA/APHIS/AC’s Eastern Region today by SAEN.

“It is abhorrent that Harvard is conducting such abusive experiments, let alone lying about them to federal regulators,” said Michael A. Budkie, A.H.T., Executive Director, SAEN.

“We find it to be unbelievable that Harvard is claiming that no primates experienced unrelieved pain when they are inducing self-injurious behavior and using electric shock,” said Steve Rayshick of the Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition. “These studies have been underway for over a decade, and it is time for Harvard to start telling the truth.”

Meanwhile, nationally known research laboratories across the U.S. have been ranked as the "worst" in the nation for their abuse of non-human primates, according to a White Paper released nationally this week by a non-profit Research Watchdog Group, SAEN.

Four Massachusetts labs have been named to the infamous "Worst Labs" list are: (#1) Charles River Laboratories (MA, NV, etc.), (#9) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (#14) McLean Hospital and the (#15) Harvard Medical School. However, honest reporting would have placed Harvard in at least a tie for #13.

According to government documents obtained by SAEN, these labs routinely deprive primates of food/water, utilize severe confinement, restraint, and isolation, subject hundreds of animals to painful experiments without anesthesia, and kill monkeys through government documented incidents of negligence.

The white paper issued by SAEN also calls for suspension of registration and outright closure of repeat laboratory offenders and the removal of loopholes from current regulations.

-30-

See Also:
Harvard Medical School
Group files complaint vs. Southborough animal research lab - 20 Oct 2010
19 Oct 2010 - Federal Complaint filed Against Harvard for Electric Shock Experiment; Group Names Charles River, Harvard, MIT, McLean to ’Worst Labs’ List
Federal Complaint filed Against Harvard for Electric Shock Experiment
MELINDA A. NOVAK - Grant Project - 2010
JAMES K. ROWLETT - Grant Project - 2010

Return to Press Release

---

We welcome your comments and questions