Posted by Dicty under blog's category : Policy Issues

Last week the Swiss Supreme Court banned scientists from continuing their research on macaque monkeys. This decision was not informed by any particular issue of animal welfare or even on scientific grounds. It was based on a local law stating that people must consider ‘the dignity of creation' when handling animals.

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Posted by Kanga under blog's category : Communications & media

Five years ago newspaper reports of medical breakthroughs rarely mentioned the animal research that had played a part in creating a medicine or treatment. These articles would usually state that 'laboratory tests' or 'previous research' had shown results positive enough for scientists to contemplate clinical trials in humans. Those of us involved in trying to explain the role of animal research to the public spent long hours trying to persuade university press officers to outlinethe animal research in their press releases, and journalists to report it.

It is so heartening to see the positive results of those long hours: a look at coverage in national papers over just two days last week shows three major 'medical progress' stories, all crediting the animal research that informed them.

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Posted by Emu under blog's category : Research & medical benefits

Antivivisectionists have spoken out against giving dogs with cancer a new cancer drug. Nedim Buukmichi, a vet speaking for the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, told New Scientist 'This raises serious concerns with respect to what the dogs may have to endure'. This bizarre standpoint sems to run counter to the veterinarian's oath. These trials could save dogs' lives, give hope to dog owners, and provide research data that otherwise would be obtained by studying animals in laboratories.

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Posted by Zebedee under blog's category : Antivivisection & extremism

We have seen in the UK that, when attacked by violent animal rights extremists and vociferous antivivisectionists, one effective strategy is to increase efforts to communicate why animal research is necessary for medical progress. That is what happened here a few years ago. Along with government crackdowns on extremism, this type of actvitity has lessened the threat of animal rights extremism in the UK.

Most of the mass media are not so interested when they do not perceive a polarised debate or are not chasing news on the latest violent attack. So when the going is not so tough, like here in the UK, there are fewer opportunities to tell people through the media why and how animal research is conducted. But there is still plenty to do behind the scenes, working with politicians, schools and researchers, for instance.

Elsewhere the violent and vociferous opposition is as active as ever. In the USA, building on efforts to promote the importance of lifesaving research involving animals, UCLA has placed a full-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times urging people to sign a petition.

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