Animal Defenders: Vote in European Parliament could send laboratory animal protection back to the Dark Ages

Friday, 27 March 2009 12:00 AM

Vote in European Parliament could send laboratory animal protection back to the Dark Ages.

A crucial vote that poses the biggest threat to laboratory animal welfare in decades takes place next week - and MEPs are being urged to take a stand against moves that would tear the heart out of existing animal protection legislation across Europe.

MEPs have tabled over 500 amendments to proposals by the European Commission for rules that will govern animal experiments throughout Europe. Amendments
to the proposals that will revise Directive 86/609/EEC (the rules for animal experimentation in Europe) will be voted on at a meeting of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee (AGRI) on Tuesday 31st March.

The proposals by the European Commission to revise the legislation on animals in scientific experiments had been cautiously welcomed, although many felt they did not go far enough. But now a fierce lobbying campaign by those in the primate trade and research industry threatens to tear apart the proposals and open up a free-for-all in animal experimentation in Europe taking UK animal protection back to levels last seen in 1876.

The amendments tabled by MEPs include:

. Reducing justifications needed to experiment on monkeys
. Overturning the Commission's proposals to stop the trapping of wild monkeys by dealers who supply European laboratories
. Weakening a ban on the use of great apes
. Allowing almost unlimited re-use of animals in all but a handful of experiments, including toxicity tests and inducing brain damage. One amendment even says it should not be necessary for animals to fully recover after one procedure.
. Permitting animals to be maintained with electrodes and other implants to be used again and again in different experiments.
. Ending requirements for prior authorisation of almost all experiments.
. Removing the upper limit on suffering to allow pain to be prolonged.

ADI is calling on MEPs to reject amendments that will set back animal protection and back progressive measures to review and replace animal experiments with advanced techniques.

The European Parliament has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect animals and to strengthen European science in the field of advanced scientific methods of non-animal research. It's the first time in 23 years that this legislation has been revised.

Much of the debate has been dominated by those with a vested interest in the primate supply and user industries, who have been scare mongering among MEPs in a calculated and deliberate attempt to mislead them. One claim is that tighter animal welfare legislation would hold back scientific progress or drive research abroad - a claim which is not supported by UK trade and industry figures. In fact, ADI's research shows that in countries where animal protection is high and laboratory science well regulated, science and technology flourish.

ADI Chief Executive, Jan Creamer, says "The animal experimentation industry have seen an opportunity to roll back even the slightest progress and have lobbied to secure a series of destructive amendments. We are on the edge of an abyss for animals used in research, and for European science. It is vital that MEPs do the right thing and ensure that animals are protected and the public desire to see animal experiments replaced is respected. This Directive could make a significant move towards ending animal suffering, whilst improving investment for development of advanced scientific research techniques. MEPs must reject these amendments or we will see laboratory animals left without vital protection for at least a decade."

ENDS

For further information, contact ADI Public Relations Officer, Ally MacDonald
Office Tel: 020 7630 3344. Mobile: 07785 552548
Email: pr@ad-international.org

NOTES FOR EDITORS

A full commentary by ADI on the amendments is being circulated to MEPs and is available to media on request.

ADI Technical Briefings are available here:
. Competitiveness Briefing
. Primates Briefing
. Thematic Review
. Authorisation: Ethical and Scientific Review

The full text of the proposal to revise 86 609 EEC (released on November 5th, 2008) which governs the rules on all animal testing across Europe is available here:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2008:0543:FIN:EN:PDF

The ADI/NAVS 'Vision for Europe' report, giving a breakdown of the proposals and calls for amendments, is available here:
http://www.savetheprimates.org/files/adivisionforeurope.pdf

Examples of alternatives to animal-based research methods include:

Microdosing:
The European Union Microdose AMS Partnership Programme (EUMAPP) has had very positive results with microdosing/AMS proving to be 80% predictive of human absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. This is considerably more accurate than primate tests, where results are shown to be predictive only 30% of the time.

Neuroimaging:
Another emerging and developing area of research, which is offering an effective alternative to the use of monkeys. A new provision for regular thematic reviews under Article 8 of the proposed Directive would enable assessment and implementation of replacement strategies for primates in neuroscience, and indeed, in regulatory testing

Computer based alternatives in higher education:
Another field where considerable advances have been made in some European countries - as well as even further afield, such as China and Brazil. This is a sector where the implementation of a thematic review (under Article 53) could save 200,000 animals per year and potentially many, many more. These new teaching programmes have been demonstrated to both replace animals and provide science students with an excellent education, and sophisticated knowledge and skills for the future.

The full text of Written Declaration 40 and details of MEP signatories supporting a timetable to phase out all primate tests is available here: http://www.navs.org.uk/take_action/39/0/885/

For more information see www.savetheprimates.org

Animal Defenders International (ADI)
With offices in London, San Francisco and Bogota, Animal Defenders International (ADI) campaigns to protect animals in entertainment, replacement of animals in experiments; worldwide traffic in endangered species; vegetarianism; factory farming; pollution and conservation. ADI also rescues animals in distress worldwide. Our evidence has led to campaigns and legislative action all over the world to protect them. www.ad-international.org

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