Dr Hadwen Trust: MEPs receive petition plea from 65,000 cyber-protesters to back non-animal testing

Thursday, 22 October 2009 12:00 AM

Cross-party MEPs from the European Parliament's Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals[1] were presented this week (October 21st) with pledges from more than 65,000 people taking part in the world's first ever web-based march[2], calling for the replacement of animal research to be accelerated through the revision of EU Directive 86/609 on animal experiments[3].

Representatives from the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, Four Paws and the Humane Society International who organised the Make Animal Testing History cyber-rally in 13 languages, presented the Intergroup MEPs with the pledges when the group met at the European Parliament in Strasbourg to discuss revision of the Directive.

Intergroup President and Green MEP Dr Caroline Lucas welcomed the virtual march, saying "It is a unique way of expressing the public's clear compassionate wish to see Europe take the lead in modern, humane medical research without animal suffering."

"More than 12 million animals are used in EU experiments each year." added Dr Lucas, "Yet experiments on animals can be unreliable as a guide to human biology and the range of viable alternatives, such as epidemiology, the use of cell cultures, human tissue and computer simulation, is increasing all the time. The European Commission has already stated that one of its ultimate aims is 'to replace animal experiments with methods not entailing the use of an animal' [4]. The Make Animal Testing History virtual march sends a clear message to all EU politicians that this is also what EU citizens wish to see."

So far over 65,000 people - including celebrities such as actors Ricky Gervais and Joanna Lumley - have pledged their support for the revised Directive to give animals greater protection by restricting the severity of experiments and requiring independent ethical and scientific review before experiments are licensed. They also want to see far greater action on the ultimate goal of replacing animals with alternative methods. In particular they support proposals for an EU Centre of Excellence in Alternatives to develop non-animal research methods in the biosciences and toxicology and co-ordinate an EU-wide strategy on replacement.

"When the Commission originally published its proposals to revise the EU's animal experiments directive, it was clear the intension was to drag this twenty year old law into the twenty-first century by setting clear limits on the amount of suffering animals could be exposed to and requiring thorough ethical and scientific review before any procedure would be permitted." says Emily McIvor for Make Animal Testing History. "Regrettably we have seen industry lobbying chip away at many of these progressive and humane measures one by one, so our virtual march has been vitally important in demonstrating to EU politicians just how much public concern exists about this issue. We urge them to take account of this concern by making sure that the directive isn't weakened any further and that political agreement is reached as soon as possible."

There is still time to join the march and make your voice heard. First Reading in the European Parliament was completed in May this year. Now Member State experts in the Council of Ministers are discussing the proposals. It is expected that the Council and the Parliament will reach agreement before the end of this year but if agreement is not reached, the Parliament will hold a full second reading debate during 2010.

Notes:

1. The Parliamentary Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals is the one of the first-established and longest running Intergroups. Its President is Green MEP Dr Caroline Lucas. http://www.animalwelfareintergroup.eu/

2. Join the Make Animal Testing History virtual march at http://www.makeanimaltestinghistory.org/the-march.php

3. Proposals to revise Directive 86/609/EEC were published by the European Commission in November 2008 - the Commission's proposals can be read here http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:52008PC0543:EN:NOT

4. Working Document on a Community Action Plan on the Protection and Welfare of Animals (2006-2010)

5. The Make Animal Testing History coalition comprises the Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, Four Paws and Humane Society International.

Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research - the UK's leading non-animal medical research charity funding cutting-edge science in areas such as cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, breast cancer and Alzheimer's disease, all without animal experiments. www.drhadwentrust.org

FOUR PAWS - an international animal welfare and rescue charity running hard-hitting campaigns, four sanctuaries for rescued bears, a wildlife reserve and a stray animal project in Eastern Europe. www.fourpaws.org.uk

Humane Society International - works globally to create meaningful social change for animals by promoting consumer awareness and public and corporate policies that protect animals from exploitation and industrialised cruelty. www.hsieurope.org

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