The Hindu Business Line : Oxford University's animal research lab — Animal-rights activists want humane technologies

Remember George, says a pamphlet with the picture of a macaque monkey, handed out by animal-rights activists protesting against Oxford University's animal research laboratory coming up on South Parks Road.

The debate

Ms Michelle Thew, Chief Executive of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), says that they oppose animal tests for moral and ethical reasons. "It is indefensible to inflict pain on creatures like primates that are close to humans," she says. Pointing out that animal-rights campaigners are not against science, she said: "I want cures with modern, humane technologies. We don't know what is possible if we had focussed our energies on alternative methods of testing. We need to raise the bar on research." Despite years of animal testing, there are not as many cures to diseases like HIV/AIDS, she points out.

But Professor Tipu Aziz, a neuro-surgeon with the Oxford University, insists that medical research requires animal testing. Dr Aziz was in the frontline of "pro-test" scientists taking on animal rights activists at Oxford.

Protests against the Oxford animal lab followed similar protests some years ago against the proposed primate lab at Cambridge, that resulted in the project being stopped in 2004. In fact, drug-makers like GlaxoSmithkline (GSK) and Novartis too have faced the wrath of animal-rights campaigners. GSK gives contracts to Huntingdon Life Sciences, a prime target for animal-rights campaigners. And Novartis top-brass had indicated that animal rights activism threatened its investments in the UK.

Threats notwithstanding, scientists like Dr Aziz, are of the opinion that the future will see more animals being used in safety and toxicology tests, as required by law rather than science. Using animals in such tests is absolutely critical, he emphasises, adding that an alternative system of testing may not be available in his lifetime.

But protestors in front of the Oxford lab are not convinced. Despite having tested medicines on animals, medicines have had adverse effects on humans, said one protestor, citing the recent flawed clinical trial at Northwick Park Hospital as an example.

The hospital, located in north-west London, was where six people became critically ill following reactions to an anti-inflammatory drug that was tested on them.

Mr Aziz said adverse reactions caused by medicines could be more, if they were not tested on animals. But protestors against the Oxford lab, like SPEAK representative Mel Broughton, are not willing to buy that explanation. This is flying in the face of evidence that relying on animal research is dangerous, he says. The occurrence of adverse events is reason for drug and research companies to be investing in 21st century technologies, he adds.

SPEAK has been protesting against the Oxford lab for about two-and-a-half years now and will continue to do so, says Broughton, in the face of Court injunctions and restraining orders.

Nearing completion

Meanwhile, the Oxford lab will be ready this year. The animal research laboratory will house rats, mice and primates, says Professor John Stein, also with Oxford University. He points out that the facility will support research in different disciplines, including respiratory and genetic illnesses. The facility is modern, the animals will be kept in good surroundings and modern-day techniques are being used, he says.

It is important to know that a lot of attention is given to animal welfare, he insists. But that does not seem to have silenced protests against the lab. The fight for a science based on compassion that actually works on humans will continue, says a protestor. A science that will prevent thousands of animals in labs across the world from being put through the misery that laboratory monkey George had to endure, he points out.

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