children had become sick close in time to when he was tending the mice. The worker stated that he was instructed to discard any dead mice that he found into a dumpster.[1] The worker thereafter stopped communicating with officials. Local officials later confirmed that “UMI and Prestige Biotech were disposing of deceased laboratory mice, considered to be medical waste, without the use of a licensed medical waste hauler.”[2]
Shortly thereafter, Prestige Biotech representative Xiuqin Yao emailed City of Reedley officials and asked about the mice. She stated that the mice were a “special purebred population that took six years to build up” and are “of special significance in the study of immunology and oncology.” Yao furthermore said that the transgenic mice were “biological assets” that were worth “hundreds of thousands or even one million” dollars.[3] Yao said that she cannot go to the Reedley Biolab, as she is currently in the PRC and unable to enter the United States due to a visa backlog. Despite repeated requests, she “failed to provide any certifications or licenses from any state or federal agency for storage and experimentation on mice and other laboratory activities” at the Reedley Biolab.[4] Moreover, the “[p]roperty, UMI and Prestige Biotech were not listed as a licensed laboratory” and were likewise “not registered with CDPH as a medical waste generator.”[5]
Ultimately, while the City of Reedley tried to care for the transgenic mice, their condition continued to deteriorate. Reedley retained a veterinarian specializing in laboratory specimens that the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommended. On March 24, it had the veterinarian review the transgenic mice for risk of biohazards. She confirmed the earlier assessments of overcrowding and inhumane conditions. When on site, she found 773 living mice and another 172 mice carcasses. She saw evidence of cannibalism, including the devouring of newborn mice, severe fight wounds, and indications of high stress. As of the time of her review, the veterinarian did not identify any immediate risk to humans
- ↑ See generally In Re: Property Locate at 850 “I” Street, Reedley, California 93654, No. 23CECG00912, (Cal. Super. Ct. Jun. 15, 2023), Decl. of Jesalyn Harper in Support of Application for Abatement Warrant and Order Authorizing Entry on the Property to Abate Public Nuisance (Mar. 29, 2023) at Ex. B.
- ↑ Id. They furthermore learned that “UMI and Prestige Biotech have not employed the services of a licensed medical waste hauler during the course of the operation of the warehouse.” Id.
- ↑ Id.
- ↑ Id.
- ↑ Id.
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