UT Medical Branch Fined For Treatment Of Animals

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GALVESTON (AP) - The University of Texas Medical Branch has paid a $33,000 federal fine as part of a settlement over the treatment of research animals.

The university's chief research officer, Dr. David Niesel, said in a message to campus employees Monday that a series of changes have been implemented, including additional training for staff and new leadership.

UTMB is home to the prestigious Galveston National Laboratory, one of the nation's leading research facilities seeking vaccines for some of the most lethal diseases.

A federal audit last year determined that procedural errors contributed to the needless suffering of primates that were part of a research study.

The lab also was cited for violations stemming from a separate study in which 19 guinea pigs died.

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