Federal Research Regulations Are Unlikely to Affect Harvard

Recent regulations proposed by the National Institute of Health mandating better care of animals used in scientific research will affect Harvard little because the University already conforms to most of the suggested rules. Harvard research officials said yesterday.

The proposed regulations, which are still being discussed by research institutions and the NIH, would affect relatively few institutions in the country. Dr. Ronald D. Hunt, director of the New England Regional Primate Center, said yesterday. "I think there is very little abuse at Harvard, and very little abuse in the United States. "Hunt said

Lobbying

Hunt said that "a number of people who are making a jot of noise about animal research" have lobbied for passage of the legislation.

The standards set by NIH, a division of the Public Health Service, apply to all research programs that receive federal grants or contracts. Last year Harvard received over $60 million in research funds from the NIH.

Hunt said that Harvard would have to revise only a few of its current methods, such as those concerning record-keeping, review of research and communication with the NIH, it the proposals pass.

"The trickiest thing to coordinate will be changes in research protocol," said Hunt. He added that any change in protocol, or plan of research, would have to meet with the approval of Harvard's research committee and that this might lead to occasional difficulties.

Hunt said that the new record-keeping requirements would require the staffing of "a bright secretary of a comparable physician." There are currently no regulation concerning record-keeping. Hunt said.

"The new regulation introduce a new level of bureacracy. I personally don't think that's necessary within Harvard, but maybe with some other institutions," he added.

Harvard already voluntarily submits its laboratories to inspections from several outside groups. Jane H. Corlette, director of governmental relations said yesterday.