UW to release names of animal committee members to PETA, raising research concerns

The University of Washington (UW) lost a 3-year-long legal battle to keep the names of its Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) anonymous, the organization Science reported Friday.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will now be able to view the names of the people affiliated with the group.

While PETA sees the situation as a win, UW is worried the impact will stifle animal research.

“Such actions may affect recruitment of IACUC members in certain situations,” a spokesperson told Science. “We take very seriously the humane care and use of laboratory animals used in NIH-funded research and recognize the importance of having IACUCs being fully involved throughout these activities.”

PETA says UW committee should do ‘a better job of protecting animals’

PETA argues the committee should have nothing to hide.

“If UW’s animal oversight committee is so terrified of public scrutiny, it should do a better job of protecting animals tormented, mutilated, and killed in the laboratories they oversee,” PETA Foundation Director of Litigation Asher Smith said via PETA’s website. “PETA will continue to expose the shocking mistreatment of monkeys, mice, and other animals used in UW experiments until they are replaced with 21st-century non-animal methods that give proven results.”

IACUs, as explained on the Office of Animal Welfare’s website, are responsible for approving all proposed animal projects, regular inspection of animal facilities, semi-annual review of UW’s animal program, and investigating animal welfare concerns.

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