July 2010.

On 6 July 2010, the BUAV accused the EU Council of issuing misleading public statement on animal testing. Details can be read here.
On 15 July 2010, NAVS reported that the European Parliament committee rejects amendments to animal testing directive. Details can be read here.
On 27 July 2010, the BUAV issued the statement 'BUAV disappointed at lack of progress by UK government in reducing animal suffering' . This may be read here.

May 2010-June 2010.

On 18 May 2010, the BUAV issued the following statement, 'BUAV welcomes political parties’ overwhelming support to take action on animal experiments':

The BUAV, a leading animal protection organization, is calling on the new Parliament to ensure that its policies reflect the views of political party members on animal testing issues. An overwhelming 98% of election candidates who responded to a survey by the BUAV agreed or strongly agreed that more should be done to reverse the increasing trend of animals used in experiments. According to the most recent figures available, 3.5 million animals were used in experiments in the UK in 2008, an increase of 14% on the previous year. Other survey results included: •95% of those who responded agreed or strongly agreed that the UK should lead in supporting and developing non-animal research, including financial incentives such as tax breaks and match-funding. •98% of those who responded agreed or strongly agreed that it is not justifiable to use animals to test household products such as detergents or floor cleaners. •91% of those who responded agreed or strongly agreed that the Government should fully implement the Freedom of Information Act with regard to animal experimentation. •87% of those who responded agreed or strongly agreed that it is not justifiable to cause substantial suffering to any animal in the laboratory. •81% of those who responded agreed or strongly agreed that experiments on cats and dogs should be ended. •80% of those who responded agreed or strongly agreed that experiments on non-human primates should be ended. In the run up to the General Election, the BUAV sent a questionnaire to all prospective parliamentary candidates from the main parties to gauge their views on a wide range of animal research topics. Almost 500 candidates responded with a large majority supporting action on key issues. Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of the BUAV, said: “These results show a strong and, in many cases, overwhelming response from candidates on key areas of animal testing. The BUAV is calling on the new Parliament to ensure that its policies reflect the opinions expressed by candidates. We also look forward to working with the new Government to secure positive change for animals in laboratories.” For more information please contact BUAV

On 16 June 2010, Animal Aid issued a statement on Revision of Directive 86/609.
On 17 June 2010, the BUAV issued a statement entitled 'BUAV condemns latest research using genetically modified pigs at the Roslin Institute'.

December 2009 - February 2010.

To help secure a worldwide ban on cosmetic animal testing, the IAAPEA have launched a new picture web site. The site can be viewed at   http://www.cosmeticanimaltestingpictures.com/.
On 7 January 2010, the BUAV made its 'The Student Guide to Animal Experiments' available. The Guide (in pdf format) may be downloaded from here.
On 7 January 2010, the BUAV included the following article on its website: 'BUAV speaks out against claims that mobile phone radiation can protect mice against Alzheimer’s disease'.
The December 2009 (second) newsletter of Animal Rights Prisoner Support is now on the net. Letters from the prisoners are included. It can be accessed here: Animal Rights Prisoner Support, Newsletter 2 (pdf format).
The BUAV issued a report concerning the animal testing of cigarettes: this can be read here. It also commented on the death of monkeys which, according to reports in the media, 'were cooked alive': the report may be read here.
Animal Aid included an article on its website concerning a report that over 90 per cent of scientists who backed a drug at the centre of a safety scare had financial links to the pharmaceutical industry. This can be read here.
On 27 December 2009, the Primate Research Blogspot has included the article 'Arguments Against and For Animal Experimentation' on its website.
On 18 December 2009, the following statement by issued by Caroline Lucas. MEP: 'Lucas warns of last chance to save EU Animal Experiments Agreement'.

Greens in the European Parliament, including UK MEP Caroline Lucas, are leading a challenge to the proposed new European Union law on animal experiments [1] (an update of EU Directive 86/609) because of controversial amendments. Their challenge is the last chance in the lengthy negotiations to prevent amendments that would weaken the legal requirement to use available non-animal alternative methods (in force in the EU since 1986) and restrict the ability of national governments to introduce higher animal welfare standards than those required under the EU law. The Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research, the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity, has supported the challenge, saying the amendments are “to the detriment of medical progress as well as animal welfare.” Since the EU Commission’s original proposal in Nov 2008 to revise the 20-year old animal experiments directive [2], negotiations between the EU Parliament and Council have been ongoing throughout 2009. Many of the most progressive animal welfare measures have been stripped out in the face of intense lobbying by the animal research industry, most notably restrictions on the use of non-human primates and protection of some sentient invertebrate species. However the most recent compromise text finalised after the last ‘trialogue’ meeting on 7th December, goes even further by removing the legal requirement to use available non-animal alternative research methods instead of animal experiments [3]. The EU’s Swedish Presidency has been keen to negotiate early agreement of the proposed new directive and MEPs were asked this week to give their verdict, with each political group in the Parliament having either to endorse or reject the text. Many MEPs are dissatisfied with the compromise, but only the Greens/European Free Alliance group has publicly rejected the deal on offer and stated they are prepared, if there are no further opportunities to reach agreement through the trialogue process, to bring forward amendments at a plenary vote. The Greens/EFA group has highlighted four requirements for agreement: – removal of the restriction on EU member states’ ability to continually improve animal welfare standards; preservation of the requirement to use available alternative methods; an end to primates being used for trivial experiments, and introduction of a requirement to develop strategies to replace the use of primates in experiments. Dr Caroline Lucas, Green MEP for the South East of England, said: “It is absolutely unacceptable that this compromise text fails to require the use of available alternative methods in all cases, something that for decades has been fundamental in giving legal impetus to humane research. The loss of this provision and removal of member states’ freedom to introduce stronger laboratory animal welfare measures nationally in the future is simply a compromise too far, and I am delighted that Green MEPs have been able to take a stand. "The EU has an opportunity to lead the world in progressive animal research legislation, and yet the proposal doesn’t even protect highly sentient primates from trivial experiments and contains no strategy for phasing out their use altogether. This is not legislation fit for the twenty-first century, and I hope other Parliamentary groups will join the Greens in standing up for humane science when this comes to a Plenary vote." Government Ministers from Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands publicly raised their concerns at a meeting of the EU’s Agriculture Council [4] on Dec 15. The UK’s position on the compromise is not known, and remains subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The House of Lords European Union Committee produced a report in November [5] supporting far reaching animal welfare and humane science measures, but the two most controversial issues – the ability of Member States to introduce stricter measures and the weakening of the requirement to use available alternative methods – were not at the time under discussion so have not been considered by those tasked with providing UK parliament scrutiny. The Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research has been at the forefront of EU efforts to promote the development and use of alternatives to animal procedures through revision of the EU law. The humane research charity is pressing Meg Hillier, Under Secretary of State for the Home Office, to support improvements on these two measures ahead of completion of the parliamentary scrutiny period. Dr Gemma Buckland, Science Policy Co-ordinator at the DHT, said: “We have been waiting over 20 years for this legislation to be revised so that cutting-edge alternative techniques will be better supported and animals in laboratories better protected. It makes no sense whatsoever for the fundamental principle that non-animal techniques must be used where available, to be removed from the law. Modern alternative research methods are often far more reliable, repeatable and relevant than animal experiments, as well as being more ethical. If the law no longer actively facilitates their use, it will be to the detriment of medical progress as well as animal welfare. This could be our last chance to save the EU animal experiments directive from falling far short of what it could have achieved.” ENDS Notes to Editors 1. The existing EU law is Council Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. 2. Proposals to revise Directive 86/609/EEC were published by the European Commission in November 2008 – the Commission’s proposals can be read here. 3. The compromise text will, if adopted: •reduce the mandatory nature of the ‘alternatives clause’; •allow member states to delay implementing alternative test methods until they are ‘recognised by Community legislation’ – an administrative process that can take years; •limit the scope of the ‘alternatives clause’ so that it no longer requires application of alternatives to all procedures, most notably those carried out for the purpose of basic medical research where the vast majority of animals are used; and •result in member states such as the UK being prevented from raising animal welfare standards nationally in the future 4. http://video.consilium.europa.eu/index.php?pl=&sessionno=2678&lang=EN. 5. The Government must respond to the report by 10th January. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldselect/ldeucom/164/164i.pdf.

November 2009.

The BUAV has provided information from an undercover investigation, details of which were published in the Sunday Times on 1 November 2009. Information from this investigation can be accessed at the following links:
The ugly truth about botox
Botox testing
Animal suffering
Killing mice
Shocking cruelty
Alternatives
Investigator's diary
Photo gallery
PETA released the results of its investigation at laboratories of the University of Utah. Information can be accessed here.
The Animal Aid website included current details of the lobbying efforts made in respect of updating of European legislation governing animal research across the EU. Information can be found here.

September - October 2009.

Animal-TV now includes 'Our cameras are inside the laboratories around Israel exposing the truth that is being hidden from you' and may be read here.
Information is now available about nicotine experiments on monkeys at the OHSU. This may be read here. The information also includes Thimble's story.
The website for PCRM, includes an article entitled 'Millions of animals saved from chemical toxicity rests'. This may be read, in full, here.
Project R&R has included the article 'Study Challenges Importance of Animals in Research', which can be read here.
The website for Animal Aid, included an article entitled 'Act now to help animals in laboratories'. This may be read, in full, here.
The NEAVS website included a considerable amount of information in its 'Project R & R'. This includes a number of papers relating to the use of chimpanzees in research.

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Until every cage is empty, and every animal is free,

Regards,

Webmaster. 29 July 2010