May 29 2008
Need for an alternative way to animal testing
May 29: Researches on several topics are conducted all over the world for the betterment of human existence. Animals are mainly used for experiments to confirm the outcome of the research. Pros and cons are often raised over the period of years on the experiments on animals. On this backdrop a world expert on primates, Dr Jane Goodall has asked Europe to find an alternative to keep animals away from these experiments.
Dr Goodall was addressing a meeting in Brussels and she called for more initiatives to find an alternative to using animals for experiments. Her comments came at the apt moment as the EU directive on the protection of animals used for research that dates back to 1986 is to be revised soon. In the EU alone nearly 11 million animals are used for experiments each year in a regulated manner.
According to the version of scientists using animals for research cannot be avoided as it is effective in finding solution to health related problems that arise in humans. Dr Goodall was addressing an event organised by animal rights campaigners and a group of Euro MPs. She also presented a 150,000-signature petition that supports her call.
While the Dr Hadwen Trust, a non-animal medical research body in the UK has asked the EU to form a centre of excellence in non-animal research. Wendy Higgins, the spokeswoman of the trust said: “Industrial and academic researches have expressed their discontent over using animals for research purposes.”
Meanwhile the EU’s Directive 86/609/EEC put forth certain level of control on using animals for experimental purposes. It suggests that the experiments “shall be performed solely by competent authorised persons or under the direct responsibility of such a person”.
It further adds that the experiment “shall not be performed if another scientifically satisfactory method of obtaining the result sought, not entailing the use of an animal, is reasonably and practicably available”.
Finding an alternative way to substitute animals in research is the ideal way to bring permanent solution to this issue.
