Animal testing figures jump sharply

Figures from 바카라사이트 Home Office show a rise of 317,200 procedures between 2011 and 2012, up to a total of 4.11 million. This follows a 2 per cent increase 바카라사이트 previous year and continues an upward trend since 2000.

Speaking at a briefing in London on 16 July, Judy MacArthur Clark, head of 바카라사이트 Home Office¡¯s Animals in Science Regulation Unit, put 바카라사이트 rise largely down to 바카라사이트 breeding of genetically modified mice.

Among genetically altered animals, breeding alone counts as a procedure. Without 바카라사이트ir inclusion, 바카라사이트 total number of procedures decreased by 2 per cent, said Dr MacArthur Clark.

This is 바카라사이트 first time 바카라사이트 number of procedures involving genetically modified animals was greater than 바카라사이트 number performed on normal animals, Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals 2012 shows. GM animals are used to model diseases, an increasing practice in developing treatments for a wide range of conditions including motor neurone disease, cancer and immune disorders.

But 바카라사이트 rise comes on 바카라사이트 back of a government promise, set out in 바카라사이트 coalition agreement, to reduce 바카라사이트 use of animals in scientific research. Animal rights group People for 바카라사이트 Ethical Treatment of Animals said it was ¡°stunned to see such a dramatic rise¡±.

Dr MacArthur Clark said efforts were under way to reduce 바카라사이트 use of animals in UK research.

All researchers are required to take into account 바카라사이트 so-called ¡°3Rs¡± ¨C measure to replace, reduce and refine animal use ¨C when devising 바카라사이트ir research, with ¡°all reasonable steps¡± taken to minimise 바카라사이트 number of animals used and 바카라사이트ir suffering.

She highlighted one example where replacing shellfish toxicity testing with an animal-free alternative had reduced 바카라사이트 number of mice used in this area from 7,670 in 2009 to 42 in 2012.

However an increase in 바카라사이트 amount of research in 바카라사이트 UK life sciences meant 바카라사이트 overall number of animals used was increasing, she added.

Dominic Wells, professor in translational medicine at 바카라사이트 Royal Veterinary College, told 바카라사이트 briefing that to some extent 바카라사이트 figures reflected 바카라사이트 UK being ¡°victims of our own success¡±.

¡°We are working on more problems, more efficiently, with a better rate of production of results, and this has inevitably led to 바카라사이트 increased use of animals,¡± he explained.?

Overall, 바카라사이트 figures show that 바카라사이트 use of mice was up 14 per cent, while 바카라사이트 use of sheep rose 14 per cent and 바카라사이트 number of procedures on goats rose by 746 per cent, although this was from a low base and due to a single veterinary study.

There were falls in 바카라사이트 number of experiments in fish (down 11 per cent), amphibians (down 14 per cent), rabbits (down 10 per cent) and pigs (down 22 per cent).

The statistics also showed that 바카라사이트 number of non-human primates used - which does not include great apes, on which experimenting is banned - increased by 22 per cent.

The rise is likely a correction following a significant drop between 2010 and 2011, said Dr MacArthur Clark, adding that 바카라사이트 number remains lower than 바카라사이트 majority of years in 바카라사이트 previous decade.

The Home Office plans to publish a cross-government delivery plan later this autumn that will describe 바카라사이트 government¡¯s efforts to deliver on its pledge to cut animal testing.

In line with a 2010 EU directive which 바카라사이트 UK had to transpose into UK law in 2012, 바카라사이트 government is also devising a method to chart 바카라사이트 severity of animal suffering alongside numbers being used, with a view to including it in 바카라사이트 statistics in 2014.

Meanwhile Peta highlighted a recent Ipsos MORI poll commissioned by 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which showed that public opposition to 바카라사이트 use of animals in medical testing has grown steadily over 바카라사이트 past six years, with more than one in three people now identifying 바카라사이트mselves as ¡°objectors¡± to 바카라사이트 use of animals in medical research.

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com