The independent review states that dog testing is being conducted in London, Ontario. Hospital acted ethically, but marked communication gaps

A third-party review of the use of dogs in medical research at the Lawson Research Institute in London found that the trial, which induced heart attacks in the dogs, complied with all “regulatory, ethical and professional standards”.

A 10-page report summarizing the review panel’s findings was released Thursday morning by St. Joseph’s Health Care, which operates Lawson.

In short, the report says that the organizations involved in conducting and overseeing the research – Lawson, St. Joseph’s, and Western University – have a communication problem, not an animal-treatment problem.

The report said that while the research complied with animal care regulations and was peer-reviewed, there were differences in how it was communicated to the public and between Lawson and Western University.

“The panel concluded that while animal care and scientific practices met or exceeded required standards, there were deficiencies in clarity of roles, institutional approval processes, and coordinated communication,” the report said.

The report also said the review concluded that allegations of animal abuse were “unfounded” and that the main problems were not related to how animals were treated, but to “governance, alignment, transparency, communication and management of institutional responses to public controversy”.

The report follows an independent review by Western University’s Animal Care Committee (ACC) in September and the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) in October. Both also found that the allegations of wrongdoing were baseless.

Look Frank Prato Explains their research:

London researcher explains why he was testing on dogs

Frank Prieto, the scientist behind the controversial studies that induced heart attacks in dogs, sat down for an exclusive interview with CBC’s London Morning host Andrew Brown and defended the importance of his research. He also explained why the whistleblowers were wrong about the allegations.

This controversial research was revealed in a report last summer Bureau of Investigative Journalism And Postmedia.

The story revealed that Lawson’s scientists were secretly inducing three-hour heart attacks before euthanizing the dogs and removing their hearts for further study.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who swore to “hunt” Scientists are experimenting on animals. their government too proposed legislation Which would ban “invasive medical research” on cats and dogs.

Lawson eventually closed the program, and Lawson’s research chief left A week after the story broke.

Frank Prieto, the scientist behind the controversial study, told CBC News in an exclusive interview earlier this month that the study led to life-saving discoveries about the damage caused by heart attacks and how patients recover from them. Prato (you can listen to his interview Here) also stated that the dogs were sedated during the heart attack and therefore did not feel pain during the test.

Since the research was exposed last August, animal rights groups have continued to question its validity and the secrecy surrounding it. an academic Those who study medical ethics question whether research Including young dogs would provide useful data on a disease that typically affects older humans.

The report recommends changes

Key recommendations of the report include a call for a revised joint governance policy between St. Joseph’s Health Care and Western University that clearly “defines authorities, institutional approval processes, roles and responsibilities, and escalation pathways.” The report said that both the institutions were working under an old MoU since 2013.

The report also recommends developing a “transparency strategy” to explain how animal testing is regulated and how it benefits society. Another recommendation calls for the creation of a “framework for proactive communication and crisis response coordinated with Western universities.”

Another key recommendation calls for better reporting mechanisms and staff education related to animal welfare concerns, including better anonymous reporting options.

The third party review report was conducted and signed by:

• Dr. Brad Wouters: Executive Vice President, Science and Research, University Health Network.
• Dr. Badru Molu: Senior Director and Program Head, Animal Resource Centre, University Health Network.
• Dr. Maria Terrecabras Casas: Physician Scientist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
• Martin Cole: Former senior inspector for the Ontario Humane Society.