Harvard research centre cited for animal mishandling

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited the staff of Harvard Medical School’s Primate Research Center (NEPRC) for not properly handling research animals after an escaped primate was recaptured by a staff member and subsequently died following an imaging procedure.

USDA’s inspection report, released on 10 January, emphasised that “all animals should be handled by scientists, research technicians, and animal technicians as expeditiously and carefully as possible in a manner that does not cause behavioral stress, physical harm, or unnecessary discomfort to ensure the health and well-being of the animals”.