Written by PETA
Because the University of Utah (the U) still doesn't want to 'fess up about exactly how experimenters are tormenting and killing dogs, cats, monkeys, and other animals behind the doors of its laboratories, PETA has filed a lawsuit against the U for withholding records.
We originally requested the records—which the school is required to release under Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA)—following our 8-month undercover investigation at the U, but the school repeatedly sought ways to stonewall and delayed releasing the documents for nearly a year.
PETA persisted, and school officials begrudgingly turned over 1,300 pages of records related to the animals locked inside the university's laboratories, but with much of the key information deleted. They also charged us $2,420 for the records. This attempt to keep PETA from exposing the truth is not only unethical but also illegal. Under GRAMA, if the university wants to redact any information in a document, it is required to cite a legitimate reason for every single redaction, which the U failed to do. PETA now seeks to obtain the complete set of documents and force the U to repay some of the exorbitant fee it charged for the redaction-riddled records.
PETA's 2009 investigation revealed that, among other abuses, a cat had holes drilled into his skull and electrodes inserted into his brain; week-old kittens had chemicals injected into their brains, causing painful fluid buildups; dogs had their chests cut open and devices implanted on their hearts; and sick and injured animals were left to die with no veterinary care. The investigation led Utah to repeal an archaic law requiring animal shelters to sell homeless animals to laboratories for use in experiments. It also prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to cite the U for violations of animal welfare laws.
You might remember that last month, we successfully settled a similar lawsuit that we filed against Davis County, Utah, in order to force the county to turn over its documents regarding animals its shelter had sold to the U. Our suggestion: The school should take a cue from Davis County, save itself some trouble and legal expense, and hand over the information, which the public has a legal right to see.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
hypnotoad,
"Animal research has saved billions of lives" is a pretty broad statement. Can you give some specifics?
As PETA mentioned, " In 2004, the FDA reported that 92 out of every 100 drugs that successfully pass animal trials, subsequently fail human trials."
Below is a copy and paste from sourcewatch.org where animal testing was not a reliable indicator for the safety and efficacy of drugs in humans:
The following lists a few of the thousands of drugs with side effects passed as safe for human consumption by animal testing, along with damages caused:
Eraldin (for heart disease) – Corneal damage including blindness.
Paracetamol (painkiller) – 1,500 people had to be hospitalized in Great Britain in 1971.
Orabilex – caused kidney damages with fatal outcome.
MEL/29 (anti-hypertensive) – caused cataracts.
Methaqualone (hypnotic) – caused severe psychic disturbances leading to at least 366 deaths, mainly through murder or suicide.
Thalidomide (tranquillizer) – caused 10,000 malformed children.
Isoproterenol (asthma) – caused 3,500 deaths in the sixties.
Stilboestrol (prostate cancer) – caused cancer in young women.
Trilergan (anti-allergic) – caused viral hepatitis.
Flamamil (rheumatism) – caused loss of consciousness.
Phenformin (diabetes) – caused 1,000 deaths annually until withdrawn.
Atromid S (cholesterol) – caused deaths from cancer, liver, gallbladder and intestinal disease.
Valium (tranquillizer) – addictive in moderate doses.
Preludin & Maxiton (diet pills) – caused serious damage to the heart and the nervous system.
Nembutal (insomnia) – caused insomnia.
Pronap & Plaxin (tranquillizer) – killed many babies.
Phenacetin (painkiller) – caused severe damages to kidneys and red blood corpuscles.
Amydopyrine (painkiller) – caused blood disease.
Marzine (nausea) – damaged children.
Reserpine (anti-hypertensive) – increased risks of cancer of the brain, pancreas, uterus, ovaries, skin and women’s breasts.
Methotrexate (leukemia) – caused intestinal hemorrhage, severe anemia and tumors.
Urethane (leukemia) – caused cancer of liver, lungs and bone marrow.
Mitotane (leukemia) – caused kidney damage.
Cyclophosphamide (cancer) – caused liver and lung damage.
Isoniazid (tuberculosis) – caused liver destruction.
Kanamycin (tuberculosis) – caused deafness and kidney destruction.
Chloromycetin (typhoid) – caused leukemia, cardiovascular collapse and death.
Phenolphthalein (laxative) – caused kidney damage, delirium and death.
Clioquinol (diarrhea) – caused blindness, paralysis and death.
DES (prevent miscarriage) – caused birth defects and cancer.
Debendox (nausea) – caused birth defects.
Accutane (acne) – caused deafness and kidney destruction.
4mula1 how sadly appropo this quote is. It is shockingly disgusting & abhorent that this insane mutilation of defenseless animals continues to happen in the hallowed halls of "higher education". I really cannot imagine how heart wrenching it must have been for the designated PETA person to have to see this torture happening on a daily basis & not be able to say or do anything. I know in this case the end justifies the means... Hopefully these actions will be banned sooner rather than later. Simply tragic.
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