A report from the White Coat Waste Project reveals that a Chinese lab continues to receive U.S. funding for testing on beagles. A $124,200 contract from NIH allows Pharmaron to use 300 beagles weekly, with many also euthanized if they experience organ dysfunction. This highlights ongoing issues regarding U.S.-China funding relations and concerns over animal welfare and national security.

A recent revelation by the nonprofit White Coat Waste Project indicates that a Chinese laboratory is continuing to receive considerable funding from the United States for conducting unfortunate experiments on beagles. This alarming information was first reported by the New York Post, highlighting a contract worth $124,200 from the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, utilising resources allocated from the Pentagon.

The contract enables the Beijing-based company Pharmaron to utilize beagle puppies, along with mice and rats, for pharmaceutical tests targeting neurological disorders. It was noted that Pharmaron is reportedly testing on as many as 300 beagles a week, some of which are as young as eight months. The contract specifies that those dogs exhibiting organ dysfunction will ultimately face euthanasia.

In its communication to the NIH, Pharmaron assures compliance with the Animal Welfare Act while describing beagles as “docile, cute and easy to domesticate.” The proposal indicates that dogs will be “reused” within the study in an effort to minimize costs and save animals, notwithstanding the distressing fate that awaits those with organ dysfunction.

Pharmaron, along with other Chinese biopharmaceutical companies, was marked as “companies of concern” and was proposed to be blacklisted from future engagements with U.S. firms, as per a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. However, the bill did not proceed to a vote in the Senate.

This research contract exemplifies the often reciprocal funding arrangement between the U.S. and China for medical research, which raises significant national security concerns as the taxpayers bear such financial burdens. Notably, in 2023, 139 foreign entities secured medical technology licenses stemming from NIH innovations, compared to merely 102 domestic companies, reflecting a concerning trend in funding allocation.

Furthermore, Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) remarked on the federal expenditure on animal testing, asserting it amounts to $20 billion annually. In her op-ed for the Post, she emphasized, “With $36 trillion in national debt — more than $300,000 per taxpayer — there’s a lot of spending to slash. What better way to start than by cutting the $20 billion the government wastes every year on dead-end experiments that torture dogs, cats and other animals?”

The oversight of contracts, particularly those involving foreign entities, poses significant challenges that necessitate rigorous scrutiny. Ultimately, the persistence of funding for such contentious research calls for broader discussions about ethical implications and fiscal responsibility in government spending.

The continuation of U.S. funding for animal testing in Chinese laboratories raises pressing ethical and fiscal questions. The significant annual expenditure for animal testing and experiments that lead to potentially inhumane conditions necessitates a serious reevaluation of federal policies and oversight regarding foreign contracts. As public figures voice concern over wasteful spending amidst national debt challenges, the prioritization of humane treatment and responsible fiscal management becomes increasingly vital.

Original Source: www.news-journal.com

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