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British medical tests on animals hit 12-year high
Thu Dec 8, 2005 9:03 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain carried out 2.85 million scientific experiments on animals last year, up 2.3 percent on 2003 and the highest level for 12 years, according to data released by the government on Thursday.
About 85 percent of experiments involved mice, rats and other rodents, while dogs, cats, horses and non-human primates accounted for less than 0.5 percent.
Animal testing is an emotive subject in Britain, which has a reputation as a country of animal lovers.
Small groups of protestors have conducted sometimes violent campaigns against companies and individuals involved in animal experimentation, leading one firm, Huntingdon Life Sciences, to quit the London stock market and base itself abroad.
"Animal research has led to advances in the treatment of many conditions such as asthma, peptic ulcers, schizophrenia and depression, polio, kidney disease and Parkinson's," Home Office Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement.
But pressure group Animal Aid slammed the rise in testing as an "unforgivable betrayal of the public as well as of animals," and raised particular concern about the growing use of genetically-modified animals.
This was rebuffed by Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the Medical Research Council, who said genetically modifying animals had given valuable insights into diseases such as Down's syndrome and the treatment of certain types of cancer.
A MORI study for the Coalition for Medical Progress has shown that 75 percent of Britons can accept animal testing as long as it is for medical purposes.
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? Reuters 2005. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Thu Dec 8, 2005 9:03 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain carried out 2.85 million scientific experiments on animals last year, up 2.3 percent on 2003 and the highest level for 12 years, according to data released by the government on Thursday.
About 85 percent of experiments involved mice, rats and other rodents, while dogs, cats, horses and non-human primates accounted for less than 0.5 percent.
Animal testing is an emotive subject in Britain, which has a reputation as a country of animal lovers.
Small groups of protestors have conducted sometimes violent campaigns against companies and individuals involved in animal experimentation, leading one firm, Huntingdon Life Sciences, to quit the London stock market and base itself abroad.
"Animal research has led to advances in the treatment of many conditions such as asthma, peptic ulcers, schizophrenia and depression, polio, kidney disease and Parkinson's," Home Office Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement.
But pressure group Animal Aid slammed the rise in testing as an "unforgivable betrayal of the public as well as of animals," and raised particular concern about the growing use of genetically-modified animals.
This was rebuffed by Colin Blakemore, chief executive of the Medical Research Council, who said genetically modifying animals had given valuable insights into diseases such as Down's syndrome and the treatment of certain types of cancer.
A MORI study for the Coalition for Medical Progress has shown that 75 percent of Britons can accept animal testing as long as it is for medical purposes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
? Reuters 2005. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
