Lawmaker warns of legislative action over animal testing at the University of Iowa

IOWA CITY — In response to calls from a state lawmaker and the director of the Iowa Human Society — made last week after “disturbing” testimony on Capitol Hill about “painful” research involving dogs — the University of Iowa has reaffirmed its “unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of laboratory animals.”

But the UI’s response falls short of the demands, said Republican Rep. Taylor Collins of Mediapolis. She called on the university to review its institutional ethical standards for the use of animals, investigate any deficiencies and publish the results.

“If they continue to sit idle and do nothing about the problems we bring to their attention, I think the legislature will have to continue to put things into (Iowa) code,” he said Thursday. “That’s certainly not the solution I’m hoping for. I hope we can continue to have a productive dialogue.”

Preston Moore, the state director of the Humane Society of the United States in Iowa, called on the UI, among other things, to limit “unnecessary animal testing” in favor of alternative research methods.

In a letter to Moore, Jennifer Lassner, UI vice president for research, called laboratory animals “valuable resources in developing new treatments for a range of health conditions and diseases, including cancer, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, macular degeneration, and many others.”

“From over-the-counter drugs to life-saving treatments, this high-impact research is helping people live longer, healthier lives,” Lassner wrote to Moore on June 12 – the same day he made his concerns public, but nearly three months after he appealed via email to UI President Barbara Wilson. “We provide the highest level of care, grounded in respect and the four R’s that govern the ethical use of animals in research.”

These “Rs” include “replacement,” which means replacing an animal with a non-living test subject when possible; “reduction,” which means using as few animals as possible; “refinement,” which means adapting procedures to minimize pain and suffering; and “responsibility to the scientific community, animals, and humanity.”

The university, Lassner said, also adheres to the rules of all regulatory authorities for US animal research, is accredited, is a research facility registered with the US Department of Agriculture and has an “animal welfare guarantee” required by the National Institutes of Health.

Moore and Collins expressed concern during a hearing on Capitol Hill that similar atrocities as those reported are occurring “in our own state.” They made key demands of the UI: They wanted to review and publish the results of institutional ethical standards in the treatment of animals; they wanted to review and publish the results of current and upcoming research that would show which studies can be conducted without animals; and they wanted to find someone who supports reducing animal testing in their search for a vice president for research.

Regarding the requirement for reviews and audits, Lassner said the UI “regularly reviews our animal care program, implementing quality assurance measures and rigorous training programs for staff.”

“Shut up and give us more money”

Collins and Moore called for a more comprehensive response this week.

“I will continue to urge the university and the university council to take real steps to reduce unnecessary animal testing,” Moore said. “And I think an audit as proposed by Rep. Collins is a good first step.”

Collins expressed frustration. “As usual, we have received no commitments to make improvements, to conduct any kind of review, or to admit that any wrongdoing ever occurred,” he said. “This is par for the course for the University of Iowa and the Board of Regents: The Legislature is to hell – now shut up and give us more money.”

Collins is among lawmakers who have sharply criticized Iowa’s public universities for their diversity, equity and inclusion programs and has been a driving force behind legislation to cut diversity and inclusion spending and programs.

UI Dog Study

Among the UI research that is causing concern among the Humane Society and Collins is a study of “leishmaniasis,” a potentially fatal disease caused by a microscopic parasite that results in skin ulcers, fever and swollen organs.

Leishmaniasis is spread by sand flies and dogs “often serve as a natural reservoir for the disease, meaning that human infections can occur when the parasite is transmitted from infected dogs to humans through sand fly bites,” the university said.

Dog vaccines are approved in Brazil and Europe, but not in the United States. And there is no approved vaccine for humans.

In response to Collins and Moore’s concerns that UI researchers were experimenting on “domestic dogs” that were “euthanized and dissected despite available treatment options,” the university said the animals were previously diagnosed and then included in the study with the consent of their caregivers. They were not infected as part of the study.

After the animals were euthanized, UI officials said, “researchers collected blood, urine and tissue samples for analysis to better understand the disease.”

Search for Vice President

While the university is in the midst of a search for a new vice president for research, both Moore and Collins urged the university to consider candidates “who not only have the necessary expertise in their respective fields, but who have also demonstrated a commitment to using non-animal testing methods whenever possible and to supporting the development of new non-animal methods.”

Moore noted that “organs on chips, robotics, reconstructed human tissue, computer models and other methods are often more accurate, and these alternatives are constantly improving.

“We don’t have to choose between saving human lives or animal lives,” he said.

The Humane Society launched an online petition on Thursday to “give Iowa residents an opportunity to express their support for the university as it takes its research programs in a new direction.”

Tom Barton of The Gazette Des Moines Bureau contributed.

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