A national watchdog organization is calling out Wake Forest School of Medicine over its treatment of lab animals. It is the second organization in a month to urge a strong response by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Stop Animal Exploitation NOW released USDA inspection results last week chronicling what it called critical and numerous violations against animals including cats, monkeys, and sheep. The group demands an immediate investigation and hefty fines. Wake Forest School of Medicine's response reads in part: “We do not believe this inspection reflects the overall care we provide to our animals, yet we acknowledge the identified shortcomings.”
Last month, Dr. John Pippin with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed a similar USDA complaint against the school over its treatment of pigs and called on the school to consider surgical training techniques — like those of other leading programs — that don't use animals.
"If I were at Wake Forest, I would say let's form a little committee of our surgery educators here," says Pippin. "Let's look at these references this guy sent us, let's talk to them about what they're doing, and maybe we're just a step behind and need to consider some changes. That's what we're asking them to do, and they won't even discuss it."
According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the school has been reprimanded and/or fined by the USDA in 2017, 2016, and 2012.