Baseless accusations against Vanderbilt researchers

It was with horror that I read the piece regarding “brain surgeries that were performed on monkeys without anesthesia” at Vanderbilt. It was with even greater dismay that I read the piece in The Vanderbilt Hustler reporting this “leak” and smearing the names of researchers at Vanderbilt University. There were three things that made me upset.

Check your facts! No major surgeries are done without anesthesia. First, in light of the actual facts, the reporting of this story by The Hustler was naïve, uninformed and irresponsible. The accusation was made by an animal rights organization against Vanderbilt researchers. This accusation was based on an e-mail from Vanderbilt veterinarians aimed at clarifying what fell under the category of major surgery (done under general anesthesia) versus minor surgery (done under local anesthesia in sedated animals). This e-mail led to the accusation that surgeries have been done without anesthesia here at Vanderbilt. This is a painful example of how factual events and statements can be manipulated and misrepresented. Just in case some readers of The Hustler found these accusations in any way credible, let me make it absolutely clear that at Vanderbilt, ALL major surgeries on animals are conducted under general anesthesia.

Inform yourself! Animal research is conducted in a careful, humane and controlled fashion. The second point that needs to be made to the Vanderbilt community is that all procedures conducted on animals at Vanderbilt are done following many layers of scrutiny by veterinarians, by the IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee), by USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and by AAALAC (Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International). We researchers take very seriously the use of animals in medical and scientific research. We do not use animals for personal gain, money, entertainment or maliciousness. To give an idea of how much thought is put into this research, our animal protocols (often over 100 pages long) include detailed descriptions of what we do, why we do it and why it is beneficial to society, as well as procedures for the humane care, treatment and housing of animals, and descriptions of training of each researcher. The IACUC committee (which is composed of scientists, non-scientists and persons from the general community) then reviews these protocols on an annual basis. Only after full approval are we allowed to conduct research. Moreover, every procedure conducted is documented in detail. To ensure compliance with procedures, there are regular inspections of our labs, facilities and documentation. The take-home message is that animal researchers put a lot of effort and thought into how to improve health and quality of life for both humans and animals.

Your well-being depends on animal research! This brings me to my third point. It is vitally important for Vanderbilt community and general public to be aware of the beneficial impact that animal research has upon the lives of humans AND animals. Because of animal research, we have eradicated diseases like smallpox and polio. We have tremendously improved the lives of those with AIDS and cancer and the lives of those suffering from strokes, Parkinson’s, depression and a myriad of other diseases. A host of surgical techniques such as liver, kidney and heart transplants would not have been possible without animal research. All drug research is based on animal research, so next time you or any member of your family take any medications, please keep that in mind. Your grandmother who has Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s needs animal research. Your neighbor who is afflicted with schizophrenia or mental retardation needs animal research. The paralyzed automobile accident victim who uses a remote control device or artificial limbs needs animal research. The next time you take your pet to the vet for any treatment, be well aware that your pet needs animal research. Enormous understanding of animal behavior and ethology has arisen from animal research. This has in turn helped ecologists and environmentalists shape habitats, form policies and improve the lives of animals in the wild.

In sum, and I speak as a teacher and scientist, I would urge all to be cautious about believing things that you hear or read. Check out the source! Second, be aware that animal research at Vanderbilt is conducted ethically, carefully and with a great deal of supervision, both at the local and the government levels. And third, be aware of how much animal research has improved YOUR life and the lives of animals around you.

Anna W. Roe, associate professor, Department of Psychology