MADISON, WI – U.S. regulators have cited Labcorp Early Development Laboratories in Madison for breaking federal law, leading to the severe injury and death of a monkey in its drug research program.
The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture report cited the laboratory after a late July inspection with a violation of the animal handling requirements of the Animal Welfare Act. The violation was of the more serious “critical” variety.
According to the federal report, a monkey suffered a femur fracture and had to be euthanized because of the way he was handled by laboratory staff.
SAEN, an Ohio-based national research watchdog group that monitors U.S. research facilities for illegal activity and animal abuse, filed an Official Complaint with the USDA. SAEN alleged both unqualified staff and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee violations – both federal crimes.
The complaint seeks the maximum penalty against the laboratory of $10,000 per infraction.
“We believe that Labcorp Early Development Laboratories should face the maximum penalty because their handling of this monkey caused a severe injury, suffering and eventual death,” said SAEN Research Analyst Stacey Ellison.
