Drug-testing firm fined after research violations led to monkeys being euthanized, mostly in Madison
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MADISON, Wisconsin (madison.com/Wisconsin State Journal) — Labcorp has been fined $9,000 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for five alleged violations of animal research laws, with four of the citations involving the company’s facility in Madison.
Labcorp, based in Burlington, North Carolina, in 2015 bought Covance and continues to do drug testing at its facility near the Dane County Regional Airport.
Six monkeys or similar animals were injured between 2018 and 2022, with most of the injuries involving broken bones, according to the USDA. As a result, four of the animals were euthanized.
“Handling of animals must be done as carefully as possible to avoid physical harm to the animals,” the USDA wrote in one of the inspection reports, released to the Wisconsin State Journal by the nonprofit animal rights group PETA.
PETA said the fine “is a pittance for the agony animals endured at the hands of incompetent staffers.”
In a statement, Labcorp said it “takes our ethical and regulatory responsibilities very seriously. We treat research animals with the greatest care and respect, and we are dedicated to complying with all applicable regulatory and compliance guidelines.”
According to the USDA:
Two non-human primates sustained “non-reparable orthopedic injuries” in Madison in late 2018 from improper handling. They were euthanized.
A monkey’s femur fracture in Madison in 2020, also attributed to poor handling, led to the animal being euthanized.
In 2021, two monkeys in Madison had broken arms, also from handling.
In another incident, at a Labcorp facility in New Jersey, a monkey was euthanized after becoming lethargic and dehydrated last year.
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