DOCSLIB.ORG

Edition 106 – Sept 2005

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Edition 106 – Sept 2005 AAHR NEWS 106 September 2005 Patron: Professor John Coetzee AIMS OF THE AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATION FOR HUMANE RESEARCH INC. • To promote all viable methods of healing which do not at any stage involve the use of animals. • To promote the use of scientific alternatives in all forms of medical, scientific and commercial research. • To help disseminate evidence, as it becomes available, that the use of alternatives is less costly, more accurate and more humane than the use of animals in experiments. • To work for the abolition of all experiments using animals. Hello and welcome to our new-look newsletter. I hope that you’ll find it reader-friendly, but that it still contains vital and credible information for which past newsletters have become renowned. Now that AAHR is established in Melbourne we are starting to get out and about. In July I spoke at Monash University’s Students of Sustainability conference, and will shortly address BOAR (Ballarat Organisation for Animal Rights). We urge all our Victorian members to come along We are also about to participate in the Cruelty Free Expo, and see the Cruelty Free Lifestyle Expo. and World Vegan Day picnic. It’s so great to have the opportunity to speak to people directly about the danger and All-Vegan Expo. Food, cosmetics, household the injustice of animal research. It also provides the products, toiletries, organic products, live music, opportunity to address people’s concerns and also to gauge workshops, cooking demos, literature, massage, their reactions and interest in the issue. devonshire tea, wine, beer and a delicious lunch. Plenty of street parking on Chapel Street or behind In this newsletter we launch our new campaign to stop the Coles off Cecil and Anchor Streets). There are great importation of primates for research, we introduce our terrific raffle prizes and plenty of activities for kids. Entry new merchandise, which I hope you’ll all be keen to is $10 for adults, including a value packed show purchase, we report on our recent AGM and provide news bag (while stocks last) and free entry for children. from Australia and from overseas. Thanks to everyone who has renewed their membership Sunday October 23 10am-5pm and for the wonderful feedback we have received about our Prahran Town Hall (Cr Greville/Chapel Sts brochures and website. It’s been so encouraging. We thank Melways: Map 2L H11) you for your support! Helen Rosser ‘Avant Card’ thank you During August and September, members may have noticed AAHR postcards appear on stands in their local cafes, restaurants, cinemas and galleries. A total of 90,000 cards RENEWALS have been distributed throughout Australia, spreading the message that “Animal experiments hurt people too! Some members are yet to renew their membership There IS a better way…” for 2006, so if you have a red stamp in this box then We’d like to express our sincere thanks to Avant Card for your membership is now overdue and we have in- their assistance in getting this important message across to cluded a renewal slip for you. Every membership is the public. essential to allow us to continue our important work to end animal experiments, so please.... RENEW NOW!! Ban the importation of primates for research the research industry’s demand for laboratory subjects. They are taken from countries such as Indonesia, the Australia is already home to three primate breeding facilities: Philippines, Mauritius, Barbados, Guyana, Tanzania, the National Marmoset Facility at Churchill, Victoria; the China, Israel and Vietnam and then transported by airlines National Macaque Facility in Werribee, Victoria (soon to to laboratories around the world. amalgamate with the Churchill facility); and the National Baboon Facility in Sydney, all of which breed animals The chain of supply starts with the capture of primates in specifically for the purpose of being used in research. primitive traps before they are taken to ‘holding’ compounds, where they are often held in cramped boxes or crates too Despite this “ready supply” however, during the past five small for them to stand up in.”4 years, five permits have been granted to import primates into Australia for research.1 This includes 127 pig-tailed macaques imported from Indonesia and provided to the CSIRO (Geelong campus) for research into AIDS.2 The NHMRC’s Policy on the care and use of non-human primates for scientific purposes states “Non-human primates imported from overseas must not be taken from wild populations and must be accompanied by documentation to certify their status.” 3 AAHR questions how strictly this is regulated. The UK is reputed to have one of the world’s highest standards in animal welfare, and in 1995 the UK Government announced a ban on the use of wild-caught primates in Photo courtesy: BUAV research unless there was “exceptional and specific justification”. Since the ban, however, various loopholes in the legislation have meant that some wild-caught primates have been used in the UK. The British Union Against Nevertheless, even if the animals imported are purpose-bred Vivisection (BUAV), and ‘Gateway to Hell’ have undertaken for research, they must endure long air journeys. investigations into the international trade. According to Gateway to Hell, “Undercover exposés show that the animals suffer horrifically whilst in transit. They are often deprived of the basic necessities of food, water and space. There is no care or sensitivity for the animals already terrified by their experiences. Many do not make it through alive.”5 Australian researchers should be looking toward non-animal methodologies that are far more relevant to studying human disease than replicating it in species that are genetically different to our own, yet instead of eliminating the use of primates, they are utilizing those already bred within our three established colonies, and still importing more! What can you do? Write to the following ministers and ask that the Australian Government impose an immediate ban on the importation of primates for research: Photo courtesy: BUAV The Hon. Tony Abbott, MP Minister for Health & Ageing As reported by BUAV, “The international trade in wild- House of Representatives caught and captive-bred primates for the research Parliament House industry is big business. Every year, thousands of Canberra ACT 2600 primates from around the world continue to be taken from Email: [email protected] the wild or bred in appalling captive conditions, to satisfy The Hon. Peter McGauran, MP Air France Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry Level 3, 55 Murray Street House of Representatives Pyrmont, NSW 2009 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 For more information about the international trade in Email: [email protected] primates, visit the Gateway to Hell website (www.gatewaytohell.net) and BUAV’s campaign on the The Hon. Mark Vaile, MP international trade in primates (www.buav.org/campaigns/ Minister for Trade primates/trade). House of Representatives Parliament House (Footnotes) 1 nd Canberra ACT 2600 Personal correspondence, AQIS, 2 August 2005 2 Primates for Primates newsletter, Volume 11, No.2, August 2005 Email: [email protected] 3 Policy on the Use of Non-Human Primates for Scientific Purposes, NHMRC, page 5, item 7. Air France has been identified by Gateway to Hell as 4www.buav.org/campaigns/primates/trade transporting animals for research. Please write and ask them 5www.gatewaytohell.net/gateways/gateways_index to stop transporting animals to their death. Animal Ethics Committees (AECs) The presence of animal ethics committees, and in particular inclusion of a category C member (animal welfare representative) is often used by researchers to promote a ‘clean’ image of the research industry to the public - as an assurance that the care and use of animals is sanctioned by those with a concern for their welfare and/or rights. However many category C persons serving on an ethics committee are opposed to the use of animals in research. Their presence is to ensure that the animals are protected as much as possible but only within the scope of the Code of Practice. Cherie Wilson kindly shares her experience with us. Are you in favour of, or opposed to, the use of animals in research? I am opposed to the use of animals in research. I do not procedures (although not in all cases). Scientists on the think experiments on other species conducted in artificial committee sometimes question the experimental methods laboratory environments are valuable to medical or numbers of animals used to ensure ‘valid’ results. Animal advancement. Instead we should be looking at human case technicians, if included on the committee, can give valuable studies and shifting the focus from curing symptoms of feedback on problems encountered during experiments*. disease to investigating the causes of disease within our Ethics Committees, however, do not tend to question the society. Many of the experiments that pass through my ethics ‘ethics’ underlying experiments, they simply refine committee deal with problems which we all know are caused experiments. In this way they can be seen to justify by inadequate diet and stress. experimentation. Would you say that AEC’s actually protect animals or Do you feel that as an animal welfare representative you instead that they are merely a measure to assist the have been able to alleviate any suffering? justification of their use? I have been able to help alleviate suffering of individual A properly operating AEC offers some form of protection for animals by insisting on the use of pain killers and the regular individual animals used in experiments. Animal welfare monitoring of animals involved in experiments. representatives and veterinarians on the committee are able to request pain relief for individual animals undergoing painful Have you ever challenged a protocol (procedure) or If I did this I would not be able to work within the even stopped it from going ahead? committee and would have to leave (so would not be able to help any of the animals trapped in the laboratories).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Animals Liberation Philosophy and Policy Journal Volume 5, Issue 2
    AAnniimmaallss LLiibbeerraattiioonn PPhhiilloossoopphhyy aanndd PPoolliiccyy JJoouurrnnaall VVoolluummee 55,, IIssssuuee 22 -- 22000077 Animal Liberation Philosophy and Policy Journal Volume 5, Issue 2 2007 Edited By: Steven Best, Chief Editor ____________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS Lev Tolstoy and the Freedom to Choose One’s Own Path Andrea Rossing McDowell Pg. 2-28 Jewish Ethics and Nonhuman Animals Lisa Kemmerer Pg. 29-47 Deliberative Democracy, Direct Action, and Animal Advocacy Stephen D’Arcy Pg. 48-63 Should Anti-Vivisectionists Boycott Animal-Tested Medicines? Katherine Perlo Pg. 64-78 A Note on Pedagogy: Humane Education Making a Difference Piers Bierne and Meena Alagappan Pg. 79-94 BOOK REVIEWS _________________ Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, by Eric Schlosser (2005) Reviewed by Lisa Kemmerer Pg. 95-101 Eternal Treblinka: Our Treatment of Animals and the Holocaust, by Charles Patterson (2002) Reviewed by Steven Best Pg. 102-118 The Longest Struggle: Animal Advocacy from Pythagoras to PETA, by Norm Phelps (2007) Reviewed by Steven Best Pg. 119-130 Journal for Critical Animal Studies, Volume V, Issue 2, 2007 Lev Tolstoy and the Freedom to Choose One’s Own Path Andrea Rossing McDowell, PhD It is difficult to be sat on all day, every day, by some other creature, without forming an opinion about them. On the other hand, it is perfectly possible to sit all day every day, on top of another creature and not have the slightest thought about them whatsoever. -- Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (1988) Committed to the idea that the lives of humans and animals are inextricably linked, Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828–1910) promoted—through literature, essays, and letters—the animal world as another venue in which to practice concern and kindness, consequently leading to more peaceful, consonant human relations.
    [Show full text]
  • Events Helping Us Reduce Our Hinsa Footprints
    EVENTS HELPING US REDUCE OUR HINSA FOOTPRINTS www.jainvegans.org DATE EVENT, VENUE & ADMISSION FURTHER INFORMATION CALENDAR OF EVENTS (WORLDWIDE) March Veggie Month www.veggiemonth.com National, UK (website produced by Animal Aid: www.animalaid.org.uk) “There are many reasons to go veggie including animal welfare, health, www.veggiemonth.com environmental protection and cost. If you are concerned about one or more of these issues, why not take the opportunity to try some more Various free food and information stalls meat-free meals during March” organised by Animal Aid. “If you are already veggie... go vegan!” 5th March School Speakers' Workshop for Organisers: Animal Aid (www.animalaid.org.uk) (Saturday) Secondary School Talks “Informing and empowering young people is one of the best ways to create a Manchester, UK. cruelty-free future. You can help by joining Animal Aid’s school speaker network. We are asked to provide speakers by Religious Education, English, Food Technology, PSE, Citizenship and General Studies teachers. 10am-4:30pm “We will provide free training and information to help you get up to speed and then provide videos to show and free resources to give to the students so they can find Advance registration required – see weblink and out more. You can fit in as many or as few talks as you wish and we’re sure that contact details opposite, you’ll find the experience rewarding.” Free to attend but £5 deposit required on booking, which will be returned upon attendance. To find out more, visit: www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/ACTIVE/school_speaker/ALL/// or contact Mark White (tel: 01732 364546 ext.
    [Show full text]
  • Ar Calendar.P65
    May 2012 Animal Rights Calendar Sat 12th . West Lancashire Vegan Fair Sat 12th . Global Boycott Procter & Gamble Day (TBC). Uncaged www.veggies.org.uk/arc.htm Sat 19th . Meat Free in Manchester : Vegetarian Society Sat 19th . Hugletts Wood Farm Animal Sanctuary Open Day Sun 20th . Horse and Pony Sanctuary Open Day March 2012 : Veggie Month : Animal Aid Mon 21st - Sun 27th . National Vegetarian Week Mon 5th . Sheffield Animal Friends meeting Fri 25th - Sun 27th . Bristol VegFestUK Mon 5th . Manchester Animal Action! 1st Monday monthly Sun 27th . GM Action Tue 6th . South East Animal Rights meeting. First Tuesday of each month. Tue 6th . Merseyside Animal Rights meeting. First Tuesday monthly June 2012 Sun 10th . Animals in Need Sponsored Walk Wed 7th . Live Exports - Ramsgate (every week) : Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE) Sun 10th . Nottingham Green Festival (T.B.C) Wed 7th . Derby Animal Rights. Every two weeks. Tue 19th . McLibel: Anniversary Day of Action Wed 7th . Southsea Animal Action meeting. First Wednesday monthly Wed 7th . Ethical Voice for Animals meeting. First Wednesday monthly July 2012 Wed 7th . Southampton Animal Action. First Wednesday monthly Thur 5th . Mel Broughton's Birthday : Vegan Prisoner Support Group Thur 8th . Nottingham Animal Rights Networking. Every two weeks Sat 7th . Animal Aid Sponsored Walk Fri 13th - Sun 15th . International Animal Rights Gathering, Poland Sat 10th . Demo against proposed cull Lake Windermere Canada Geese Mon 12th . Bath Animal Action / Hunt Sabs. 2nd Monday monthly August 2012 Wed 14th . Bournemouth Animal Aid Meeting. 2nd Wednesday monthly Wed 1st - Mon 6th . EF Summer Gathering, Shrewsbury Wed 14th . Taunton Vegans & Veggies.
    [Show full text]
  • Animal Law Subject Proposal
    April 2006 ANIMAL LAW SUBJECT PROPOSAL Background Until recently, Animal Law has been overlooked by Australian law schools in determining their curricula. It is not, however, a ‘novel’ concept. In the United States sixty law schools teach Animal Law, including Harvard. In that jurisdiction Animal Law is not only a highly developed area of jurisprudence (e.g. a google search on ‘animal law’ returns approximately 116,000,000 hits; there is a dedicated Institute of Animal Law, Animal Law journals and specialist Animal Law firms) – but it also has a great deal of practical significance. By way of example of the practical significance of Animal Law, and how Animal Law can be utilised by lawyers, consider the work undertaken by the US organization, the Animal Legal Defence Fund (‘ALDF’). This was established in 1979 and has more than 100,000 dedicated lawyer members who apply their skills in a number of ways in order to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. For instance, the ‘Litigation Program’ files cutting-edge lawsuits to stop the abuse of companion animals, and animals abused in industries including factory farming and the entertainment business; while the ‘Criminal Justice Program’ works with law enforcement and prosecutors to seek maximum penalties for animal abusers. ALDF has also been at the forefront of law reform in respect of stronger enforcement of anti-cruelty laws and more humane treatment of animals. In addition to the above work, those with skills and knowledge in the area of Animal Law could also apply it to work in other specific areas of law, e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethical Shopping Guide to Cat and Dog Food
    THANK YOU FOR DOWNLOADING THIS ETHICAL CONSUMER RESEARCH REPORT. It contains a buyers’ guide complete with: • a detailed article • rankings table • Best Buy advice • all the stories behind the marks on the table • company ownership and contact details • full list of references £4.25 EC121 November/December 2009 www.ethicalconsumer.org Subscribe to Ethical Consumer and get instant access to over 80 similar reports (worth over £240) as part of your subscription. Subscribers also get: Revealing the dark heart Ethical Consumer magazine of the chocolate industry – play fair, not dirty Toys & games consoles – cutting the environmental costs - keeping you up to date with all the latest ethical news and analysis Razors & shavers Rating • Unique buyers’ guides with detailed ratings tables, Best Buys advice, (out of 20) Brand 17 company profiles, news, boycotts, comment and more Equal Exchange tea 17 [F,O] 17 Online back issues archive HampsteadCo tea Tea [F,O] & Coffee • 17 Purely Organic tea [F,O] Steenbergs English • Available in print through the post or as a digital download breakfast tea [F,O] Unlimited, 24 hour access to our premium website ethiscore.org been a contributor to carbon emissions which had a damaging effect on the environment. (ref: 3) or dolphin No palm oil policy Sustainable(July 2009) forestry policy (2008) contacted, 123 had a dmitted to selling whale and/ A search was madeWal-Mart of the Walmart did not website respond (www.walmartstores. to a request by ECRA in Ocober 2008 meat. It said Sea Shepherd had been urging its members and the com) on 8th July 2009.for the No company’s policy on popalmlicy oil on could the sustainable be found.
    [Show full text]
  • CCS Grant Report
    CCS Grant Report This report was submitted in fulfilment of a research grant received from the Centre for Civil Society, University of KwaZulu Natal. The Centre for Civil Society Grant Programme was established in 2002 to support research on Civil Society issues in South Africa. It is funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies. CCS Grant Reports are distinct from CCS Research Reports in that Research reports have gone through a peer review process. Grant reports simply make available the report as provided by the author. In effect they are working papers, and comments can be sent directly to the author. For more information on CCS please visit http://www.ukzn.ac.za/ccs/ Also see: Pickover, Michelle (2005) Animal Rights in South Africa, published by Double Storey 1 THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA: AN ANALYSIS OF ANIMAL-BASED ISSUES, CAMPAIGNS AND ORGANISATIONS GRANT REPORT BY MICHELE PICKOVER FOR THE CENTRE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AUGUST 2003 2 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................................................................5 CHAPTER 1......................................................................................................................................................................................8 PURVEYORS, PARTAKERS AND PAWNS: FARMING ANIMALS FOR FOOD ..............................................................8 NOT QUITE REVOLUTIONARY ENOUGH ........................................................................................................................................9
    [Show full text]
  • Executive Summary
    In a collapsed state Executive Summary This report addresses the “Imutran xenotransplantation research” memorandum submitted by the Home Office to the Home Affairs Committee in October 2003. Background In April 2003, Uncaged Campaigns, together with its director, Mr Dan Lyons, published over a thousand pages of confidential documents contained in two leaks from Imutran Ltd (spring 2000) and the Home Office (October 2002), together with the report written by Mr Lyons based on those documents. The documents described the conduct and regulation of pig-to-primate organ transplant experiments, conducted at Huntingdon Life Sciences between 1995 and 2000. The report was entitled ‘Diaries of Despair’ in recognition of harrowing clinical observations made by the researchers as hundreds of non-human primates suffered and died following the pig organ transplant procedures. This publication took place following an extremely difficult two-and-a-half-year legal battle. Imutran (later joined by their parent company, the multinational pharmaceutical corporation Novartis Pharma AG) had applied to the High Court in September 2000 for a permanent and complete injunction suppressing publication of the leaked documents on the grounds of breach of confidentiality and copyright. The claim did not include any accusation of libel on the part of Uncaged and Mr Lyons, despite the strong criticism of Imutran contained in the ‘Diaries of Despair’ report. Significantly, the Home Office declined the opportunity to apply to the court to try to prevent disclosure of its confidential documents. Uncaged and Mr Lyons successfully argued that the documents revealed breaches of legislation on the part of Imutran, and official misconduct on the part of the Home Office in its implementation of animal research regulations.
    [Show full text]
  • Proceedings of the Critical Perspectives on Animals in Society
    Proceedings of the Conference Critical Perspectives on Animals in Society held at the University of Exeter, UK 10 March 2012 © CPAS convenors, editors and individual named contributors, 2013 Some rights reserved Copyright in contributions to these proceedings rests with their respective authors. Copyright to the overall collection and arrangement and to any other material in this document rests with the convenors of CPAS and the editors of its proceedings. In the spirit of open-access publishing and with a commitment to the intellectual commons, reuse and distribution of these proceedings for non-commercial purposes is permitted and encouraged, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution± NonCommercial±NoDerivs 2.0 UK: England & Wales licence, which can be read at: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/uk/ Amongst other things, this licence requires that you attribute material you reproduce to its author, and make clear to those you share it with that they too may reproduce it under the terms of the licence. Anything outside the licence, especially commercial use, requires the express permission of the editors and conference convenors, or of individual authors. Requests to the former should be directed to: [email protected] Edited by Chris Calvert and Jessica Gröling Contents Introduction by the editors 5 Chris Calvert and Jessica Gröling — Contributions in brief — About CPAS — Acknowledgements — Conference programme Campaigning techniques 11 Keynote address by Dr Richard D. Ryder Animal rights: moral crusade or social
    [Show full text]
  • Guilty Government
    Guilty Government 1. Introduction: Political brutality 2. Bypassing democracy 3. Toothless regulation 4. Turning a blind eye 5. Government cover-up a. Stonewall b. The Chief Inspector’s review c. The Animal Procedures Committee d. The New Documents 1. Introduction: Political brutality The disturbing story of Government malpractice that is revealed by the Diaries of Despair scandal teaches us a sobering political lesson. Behind a wall of confidentiality, the Government has succumbed to the improper advances of big business and the scientific ‘old guard’: together they ride roughshod over democracy, the public interest, the rule of law, and the welfare and rights of animals. However, the Diaries of Despair affair is the most extreme and well-documented example of a deeper pattern of Government misconduct. Thanks to Uncaged Campaigns’ and Dan Lyons’ legal victory, such abuses, once exposed, can be remedied. This section begins with reference to the regulatory framework for animal experiments in the UK, revealing how democratic processes are bypassed [LINK to 2.]. The stark contradiction between the letter of the law and the spirit of the Government’s enforcement results in toothless regulation. The troubling record of the Government turning a blind eye to evidence of cruelty and malpractice is then presented. Looking at the Government’s desperate reaction to the Conflict of interest Diaries of Despair exposé, we find the entrenchment of an “Furthermore, the Imutran arrogant, and callous policy. Furthermore, a letter from research was personally junior minister Angela Eagle dated 14 December 2001 authorised by the ministers reveals that the Imutran research was personally authorised who were now blocking an by the ministers who were now blocking an investigation.
    [Show full text]
  • Legal Battle
    The Legal Battle 1. Introduction – justified exposure of a horrific scandal 2. The public interest (i) Primate suffering (ii) Virus risk (iii) Home Office misconduct (a) Deliberate underestimation of animal suffering (b) ‘Rubber stamping’: the Inspectorate’s private view of the regulatory framework (c) Direct concealment of regulatory violations from Parliament and public (d) Covering-up for Huntingdon Life Sciences (e) Breaches of absolute legal limits on suffering (f) The cost/benefit assessment (iv) Imutran inaccuracies (a) Hyping xenotransplantation (b) Secret suffering (v) Illegal severe suffering? 3. Chronology of legal battle 1. Introduction Justified exposure of a horrific scandal Five days after the original disclosure of the Diaries of Despair on 21 September 2000, Imutran Ltd obtained a temporary injunction from the High Court in London banning the publication of the report and the entire haul of leaked documents. The injunction did allow the documents to be disclosed to specified Government bodies. Imutran had claimed that the Defendants, Uncaged Campaigns Ltd and Dan Lyons (director of Uncaged Campaigns and author of the Diaries of Despair report) had: • used and disclosed confidential information; and The importance of freedom of expression • infringed the copyright in those documents which “Modern democratic government means they claimed were copyright documents government of the people by the people for the people. But there can be no government by the Imutran’s action was not based on denials of the truth of our people if they are ignorant of the issues to be resolved, the arguments for and against allegations and conclusions, but was founded exclusively on different solutions and the facts underlying breach of confidentiality and copyright.
    [Show full text]
  • Review of Cost-Benefit Assessment in the Use of Animals in Research
    ANIMAL PROCEDURES COMMITTEE REVIEW OF COST-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT IN THE USE OF ANIMALS IN RESEARCH JUNE 2003 REPORT OF THE COST-BENEFIT WORKING GROUP OF THE ANIMAL PROCEDURES COMMITTEE PREFACE Letter to the Minister from Michael Banner, Chair of the Animal Procedures Committee 17 June 2003 Dear Ms Flint ANIMAL PROCEDURES COMMITTEE: RECOMMENDATIONS ON COST-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT UNDER THE ANIMALS (SCIENTIFIC PROCEDURES) ACT 1986 On behalf of the Animal Procedures Committee I enclose the Committee’s report on cost-benefit assessment. In it we address the adequacy of the current cost-benefit assessment performed in the course of evaluating project licence applications. We have sought to look at the many issues which arise in relation to this important element of the regulation of the use of animals, but would draw attention to three particular aspects of our work. In the first place we have addressed the fundamental question as to scientific validity of the use of animals. We believe that our considerations and conclusions offer an important clarification of the debate and fulfil the request made by your predecessor, Mike O’Brien, to provide advice on this issue. Secondly, while we conclude that some uses of animals may yield scientific knowledge, we argue that this does not settle the question of justification. We go on to elucidate the full range of factors which must be considered for there to be a rigorous application of the cost-benefit assessment. Thirdly, we also consider how the practice and process of cost-benefit assessment can be enhanced so that it can be, and be seen to be, critical and comprehensive.
    [Show full text]
  • Pennington's Sweetie
    Case Study Pennington’s Sweetie Pie Robert Pennington was a normal healthy seventeen-year-old working in a family-owned carpet store when he came down with what he thought was the flu. After a few weeks, he was not feeling better, and in fact, he felt much sicker. A glance in a bathroom mirror revealed that the whites of his eyes had turned yellow. Alarmed, Robert went to a local medical clinic where the physician saw him. The doctor examined Robert and asked for a urine sample. Astounded by the coffee-colored brown urine sample, the doctor referred Robert to a specialist. Four days later, Robert was admitted to Baylor University Medical Center diagnosed with sudden and overwhelming liver failure. Dr. Marlon Levy, a transplant surgeon at Baylor, knew that Robert would die in a few days without a liver transplant and reacted immediately by placing Robert at the top of the transplant list. However time was critical since Robert was showing signs of acute ammonia poisoning as a result of the liver’s inability to clean toxins from his blood. He was already hallucinating and approaching a comatose state. Dr. Levy soon realized that no human liver would be available in time to save Robert’s life. Dr. Levy began to evaluate another possibility. An experimental procedure known as extracorporeal perfusion using a transgenic pig liver had been approved by the FDA for testing at Baylor Medical Center. This research was funded by a company that had developed a process to insert human genes into pig liver cells to prevent humans from rejecting a transplanted pig liver.
    [Show full text]