Less than a week after Ontario Prime Minister, Doug Ford, promised to “start hunting” scientists who use cats and dogs in medical test studies, a researcher with headquarters in Ottawa says he is closing his laboratory.
“It was greatly terrifying,” said the Research Professor at the University of Carleton in Canada, Andy Adler, who closed his project laboratory at the University on Friday.
“I talked to several people in the investigation ethics office here and they told me that the kind of things I am doing is extremely non -invasive and that I should not need to worry, but here is the first minister of Ontario who threatens to hunt me,” said Adler. “I was scared.”
Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Doug Ford said at a press conference in Windsor that it was unacceptable for canines to be used in cardiac research that was approved by the Lawson Research Institute in London and St. Joseph’s Health Care London.
“Now I have ordered our team to start hunting any other person who investigates dogs or cats,” said Ford. “If you are doing this with dogs or cats, you have to stop before catching you … let’s legislate this … you will not chase animals like this.”
A day before, St. Joseph’s said he would immediately end all the investigations involving dogs “after consultations with the province.” Neither the hospital nor the prime minister’s office answered the CBC News questions about whether the province ordered the cardiac tests to end.
Adler’s research laboratory was working on the development of improved veterinary monitoring technology, aimed at helping veterinarians verify the lungs of large animals and blood flow during daily surgeries, ensuring that animals remain stable throughout the process.
His laboratory was creating a new type of stick electrode to use in these scenarios that can reach the fur of animals, so veterinarians will not need to shave.
“The dog market is large. There are many dogs and many dogs undergo surgery,” Adler said. “There is a great need to have improved instruments to help make that kind of care better.”
Animal tests in Adler’s laboratory involved placing typical monitoring jackets and newly built electrodes in service animals that work at the university, allowing researchers to compare efficacy. He has done exactly the same type of test in horses and a similar work in dolphins and marine lions, he said.
“This is something very non -invasive that we are doing here in Carleton,” Adler said, adding that he has previously performed more invasive tests outside the school that involved sacrificed dogs.
Even so, he said that Ford’s statement seems all included.
“The Premier not only said: ‘If you are doing something atrocious, [you will be hunted down]”But” if you are investigating in cats and dogs, you will be persecuted, “said Adler.” This is a super threatening language and is explicitly destined to cover people like me who are doing a very non -invasive job. “
“I’m not risking.”
The prime minister’s office did not answer CBC questions about whether he plans to end all types of research or dogs and cats, or if there could be exceptions.
St. Joseph creates an investigation ‘Transition Plan’
The scientific director and vice president of research at Lawson, Lisa Porter, left the organization last week.
St. Joseph’s has rejected requests for continuous interviews of CBC News on his research of canine tests and details about why the program ended.
In a statement sent to staff and the media on Thursday, the hospital said it is “working on a transition plan to minimize the impact on our researchers and their work, which has resulted in great advances in care and heart treatment.”
The statement also said that St. Joseph plans to appoint an independent third party to review his animal -based research and is now directing his attention to hospital security.
“In the coming weeks, we will continue to focus on the safety of our staff, doctors, researchers, patients, residents and visitors,” said the statement.
The hospital has refused to answer CBC questions about whether researchers or staff have received threats and if the hospital has hired any additional security during the last week for this reason.
Greater risks for young researchers
Adler said the day he closed his laboratory, destroyed all the documents that could identify the research students who were part of their canine tests, with their safety and their careers in mind.
“If I’m going to be hunted by my crimes, I intend to do it alone,” he said, adding that Prime Minister’s comments could affect other researchers at the master’s degree in the province.
“Imagine a student who has put four years in his doctorate and is reluctant to publish a thesis that would name them by name,” said Adler. “His enthusiasm for his work is now attenuated by the threat.”
Adler said he plans to transfer the tests for his Outario project, and potentially outside the country, to continue developing the new important technology.
“Veterinarians have much less technology available for them than human doctors, and are hungry for innovation,” he said.
