Research monkeys entangled in Trump-Harvard dispute get reprieve
(NewsNation) — Research monkeys used in a tuberculosis study faced the prospect of being euthanized after the Trump administration pulled funding from Harvard University, but now, a philanthropic organization has offered to help.
Harvard's Dr. Sarah Fortune had warned that rhesus macaque test subjects could be euthanized because of the federal grant freeze. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine are studying the primates as part of a broader project being coordinated by Harvard.
On Friday, the Boston Globe reported that California-based Open Philanthropy has authorized a $500,000 grant to support the research work in Pennsylvania.
Fortune said she was elated to learn about the gift, but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals criticized her for raising the specter of euthanizing the animals. PETA, which opposes the use of animals for research, said the monkeys could have been given to caretakers or sanctuaries.
'Experiments on animals fail to produce cures and treatments for humans, they are cruel, and there are superior human-relevant methods available,' the group said in a news release.
Harvard has refused to follow various directives from the Trump administration as a condition for receiving grants. Federal officials froze billions in research funding.
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