News releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 1997
CONTACT: Joseph Kemnitz, (608) 263-3588; Christine Parks, (608) 265-2697

SAFEGUARDS ADDED TO PRIMATE CENTER ANIMAL ASSIGNMENTS

     MADISON -- A review of the Wisconsin Regional Primate
Research Center outlines seven new ways to safeguard assignments
of monkeys originating from the center's colony at Henry Vilas Park
Zoo.
     Christine Parks, director of UW-Madison's Research Animal
Resources Center, conducted the review of colony practices at the
request of Graduate School Dean Virginia Hinshaw.
     The review was triggered by news reports and an internal
inventory in August, which found the center had breached a 1989
agreement with Vilas Zoo prohibiting the use of zoo-origin monkeys
in invasive experiments. The inventory found that 65 monkeys had
been used in invasive, biomedical research since 1989.
     "I think these new steps will help assure that no animal
covered by the 1989 agreement is inappropriately assigned in the
future," Parks said.
     Vilas colony monkeys are still used in research conducted at
the center. The new steps are meant to guarantee they are used only
in non-invasive projects.
     The new procedures have been endorsed by the Graduate School
Animal Care Committee. Larger changes include:
     * Having investigators sign a statement showing that they are
aware of the agreement, and pledge to follow it, before any animal
assignments are made. The statement will spell out that action will
be taken if animals are used inappropriately.
     * Requiring the Graduate School Animal Care Committee,
which oversees research conducted at the Primate Center, to do a
semi-annual review of all animals that are covered under the 1989
agreement.
     * Creating a special label or tag to place on cages of animals
covered by the agreement, and also creating a special computer code
in the records of those animals. The changes will call more
attention to animals from Vilas.
     The review also evaluated the status of 29 monkeys from
Vilas that are currently assigned to invasive research projects. Of
those, 12 monkeys have not yet had any invasive research performed,
and will be reassigned to non-invasive projects.
     Of the remaining monkeys, seven had already been part of
invasive research, but will undergo no further invasive research and
be reassigned after those projects.
     Seven more animals at the Primate Center and three animals
at the Medical School have had irreversible invasive research
performed. Parks recommended those animals stay indefinitely in
their studies, because they would not benefit from reassignment.
     Vilas Zoo Director David Hall is supportive of these decisions.
     Joseph Kemnitz, interim director of the Primate Center, said
the review by Parks was done with full cooperation of center staff.
"Everyone involved will benefit from an unambiguous understanding
of the agreement and its implications," he said.
     Parks is also working on a clearer definition of "invasive" for
Primate Center research projects, noting that there is a gray area
with some procedures. She will share her first draft of the
definition with a panel of outside experts before recommending it to
the Graduate School.

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Brian Mattmiller, 608/262-0930, bsmattmi@wisc.edu