Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center’s appeal of a USDA violation is still pending. The hospital was cited after PETA filed a complaint over the escape of a female monkey from the medical center’s primate center back in July.
PETA claims Baptist’s monkey research constitutes cruel treatment. The hospital responds:
Paula J. Faria, a spokeswoman for the medical center, said in a statement that the research is important and is being carried out to improve human health. She said the research is highly regarded in the scientific community.
“The first study is looking at the relationship of social stress to addiction and the changes that occur in the brain,” she said. “This research is particularly relevant now because of the rise in illegal drug use.”
Faria said the second study is non-invasive and is focused on understanding the effects of cocaine on cognition. Researchers hope to use the study findings to help develop new drugs that alleviate cocaine dependence.
A federal veterinary officer inspected Baptist’s primate center and concluded the money escaped because her cage’s latch wasn’t secure. Somehow I think even if the latch was secure, she would have found a way to open it.
