Animal Experiments

 Naturewatch welcomes new primate study

It was announced last week that there would be a new study into the use of primates in research. The working group, sponsored by the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Society, the Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust, will be chaired by Professor Sir David Weatherall, the recently retired head of molecular medicine at the University of Oxford. Sir Keith Peters, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, was quoted as saying that "there is an urgent need to adopt a more strategic approach to the future use of [non-human primates] in research at both a UK and global level. The research community will look forward to the results of this rigorous and timely study, which will help inform the scientific basis on which future policy decisions are taken."

Naturewatch welcomes the announcement of this working group: we regard it as timely, given the changing demands for the use of primates in research. We will look to see progress in the following areas:

• The impact of the Human Genome Project on future use of primates;
  
  
• The rise in research on neurological diseases, and how the 3Rs may be applied to current research in this area;
  
  
• The development of techniques such as microdose studies, by which research carried out on animals may be performed on humans without compromising human welfare in any way.

For further details, see the NHP study website.

At the same time the Home Office also released the report of the stakeholder forum, convened in January 2004 as a result of the Animal Procedures Committee's primates report. Although the delay in its publication is excessive, we welcome the thoroughness with which this report is being considered, which contrasts with the appalling treatment given to the biotechnology by a previous Home Office minister. Responses to the report on the stakeholder forum have been requested. We would urge the Home Office to give the report a very high priority after the election.

For the report on the stakeholder forum, click here.

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