UNC Submits Animal Research Review to NIH

The NIH mandated that UNC research its laboratory procedures on campus after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a video in April showing UNC lab workers allegedly mistreating mice.

Nelson Garnett, director of the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare at the NIH, verified that the agency received UNC's report Friday.

Although the report was originally due in August, the NIH postponed the deadline until Sept. 13 and then again until Friday.

Tony Waldrop, UNC's vice chancellor for research, said the University used the extra time to check facts and make sure that everything was correct.

He also said the report is about 43 or 44 pages in length, but he would not comment as to what information the report contained.

Garnett also declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation.

Waldrop said the report will be available to the public as early as this week.

Officials must wait to release it until some of the names are blackened out out of concern for the privacy of those named in the report.

"Under the State Personnel Act, we're prohibited from releasing names in a report like this one," Waldrop said.

Waldrop also said he could not predict what the reaction will be to the report and when the University will hear from the NIH.

He said he would not be surprised if the NIH had further questions for UNC but said he is confident that officials will like what they see.

"I would hope that they would be pleased with the care we've put into responding to allegations, as well as changes we've made to improve our program," Waldrop said.

Although he declined to discuss specific changes made in University labs, Waldrop noted that improvement in the research program is always taking place at UNC.

He said that even before the PETA complaint, UNC labs were working on improving the program and that they continue to work towards this goal now.

"One should always work on improving whatever program you have in place," Waldrop said.

"We are committed to having the highest-quality program in the care and use of animals in research."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.