Europe and EU Move Toward Law to Limit Animal Testing / Vivisection: Also Prohibit Animal Testing on Great Apes - Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Orangutans

Any move toward this goal is positive. And, it would be unprecedented to ban the use of Great Apes, which truly would be a move for history. We can only wait and see (and hope).

Article:

Europe moves towards limits on animal experimentation

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jzZ316kepLoKNJoPVeD04DrTWjiQ

(AFP) – 2 days ago

BRUSSELS — Europe moved on Tuesday towards setting strict limits on scientific experiments on animals, with representatives of the EU nations approving the move.

The agreed text, released Tuesday, speaks of the need for "strengthening the protection of animals whilst allowing research to continue playing a key role in the fight against diseases."

It still requires the backing of the European parliament, likely to happen in September, before the law is officially adopted.

Under the new rules experiments on great apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans will be prohibited altogether.

There is a caveat that would allow member states to approve "exceptionally" the use of great apes if it is essential for the survival of the species itself or because of an unexpected outbreak of a life-threatening or debilitating disease in humans.

Also under the draft rules, the 27 EU nations would have to ensure that experiments with animals are replaced "wherever possible" by an alternative method which is "scientifically satisfactory".

Also the number of animals used in projects will have to be reduced to a minimum "without compromising the quality of results," as the search for cures for cancers, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease etc continues.

The new rules will also limit the degree of pain and suffering caused to animals to the minimum.

As a general rule, animals taken from the wild will not be allowed to be used in experiments.

The measure was formally agreed without debate by education ministers, with only the German delegation abstaining, according to the European Commission.

At the moment some 12 million animals are used each year in scientific experiments in the EU.

According to experts, current scientific knowledge does not allow a complete phase-out of animal experimentation, the commission said.

The draft law describes animals as "sentient creatures" with "an intrinsic value in themselves which must be respected."

Last year the European Union banned the testing of animals for developing cosmetics, except for long-running toxicology tests which will be banned altogether in 2013.

The Eurogroup for Animals said the proposed law change was a step forward but "does not fully reflect the high level of public concern about the use of animals in experiments and does not go far enough in promoting the use of non-animal alternatives."

"We believe that the compromise reached between the EU institutions is a positive step forward but still not the U-turn needed to adequately protect animals used in research," said the group's director Sonja Van Tichelen.

Animal rights activists see too many caveats and possible loopholes in the text, in particular a "safeguard clause" which allows rules in the future law to be bypassed where "a member state has justifiable grounds for believing that action is essential."

That clause was included to appease European officials who fear the laws are too strict.

At the same time the European proposals allow an EU nation to impose its own tougher rules on animal experimentation.

Groups Gather to Remind World that Novartis Supports Animal Testing and the Cruel Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS)

Article:

Anti-vivisection demonstrators target Novartis

http://www.24heures.ch/pages/home/24_heures/english_corner/news/news_detail/(contenu)/139423

Activists accuse Novartis headquarters in Nyon of collaboration with animal-testing company

Fifteen activists demonstrated in front of the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis in Nyon on Monday afternoon denouncing animal-testing methods. Participants carrying placards saying “Animal Murderers” or “No to Vivisection” gathered for three hours. Although animal-testing is not conducted at the Novartis factory, the demonstrators accuse Novartis of collaborating with British company, Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS), which they claim uses “cruel and doubtful” animal-testing methods.

The aim of the activists, who call themselves “Stop Huntingdon Animal cruelty”, is to force business partners to discontinue dealing with the British lab. “We have already managed to make them lose SFr90 million since 1999,” says one demonstrator.

According to Paul Herling, head of research for Novartis international, animal experimentation is a useful support for in-vitro methods. The pharmaceutical company says it regularly scrutinizes partner companies and established the Novartis Animal Welfare service two years ago to assess the treatment of animals during experimentation.

In Belgium, Number of Animals Used in Animal Testing Increases Considerably: A Total of 756,715 Animals Were Used in Tests in Belgium

How tragic. Shows that much work is yet to be done in ending vivisection. The number just in that one small country is staggering. Not surprisng though, as Belgium is also a country that loves to eat horses.

Sadly too, animal testing is not necessary.

For information on alternatives to animal testing, see

http://www.geari.org/alternatives-to-animal-testing.html


Article:

More animals used for tests

http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=24&story_id=426888

August 2007

BRUSSELS – A total of 756,715 animals were used in different types of tests in Belgium last year.

This signals a slight increase in the number of test animals compared to 2005, the animal welfare department of the federal ministry of public health, safety of the food chain and environment announced on Wednesday. Animal rights organisation GAIA says this is the fourth consecutive year showing an increase in animal testing.

The animals are primarily used in the development and quality control of medicines and medical material. Last year a total of 37,739 more animals were used in experiments, an increase of 5.2 percent compared to the year previous. There was an especially marked increase in the number of mice (up 28,023), rabbits (up 9,359), birds (up 2,861) and fish (up 5,099) that were used in experiments, GAIA points out.

The number of cats used in experiments also increased significantly – by 32 percent – from 81 in 2005 to 107 last year. That is unacceptable, says the animal rights organisation, which is sounding the alarm. GAIA blames the increase on a failing government policy.