Victoria Derbyshire Radio 5 live from Mary Lyon Centre

Victoria Derbyshire recorded from the Mary Lyon (MRC) animal research centre near Oxford. She heard about the scientific research that takes place, and watched scientists carrying out tests on mice in order to find new ways of treating diseases such as Alzheimers and diabetes. The show also includes phone-in contributions from members of the public.

The show pulled no punches, featuring a cervical dislocation live on air, complete with an explanation of how, although the body was kicking, the animal had experienced an instant death. It was followed by a further phone-in, which revealed a range of views.

The MRC is to be congratulated for not only giving access to their facilities but also providing so much staff time to the BBC production. It was clear from the range of voices we heard that the staff at the Mary Lyon Centre were not only enthusiastic about their work but also really knew how to put their points across to a general audience.

What emerged was an honest and balanced portrayal of animal research, accurately articulating how and why research is done, allowing the public an opportunity to determine the value to them of this research.The BBC felt that the programme was a great success – and UAR would agree! The MRC communications team ensured the programme makers had everything they needed to make a balanced and informative programme, promoting the benefits of animal research at the MRC and beyond.

Last edited: 17 March 2022 15:25

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