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The violent animal rights extremism of the past decade has often had a chilling effect on the scientific community with many scientists and institutions afraid to speak out about animal research for fear of becoming the next target.
Sir Mark Walport, Director of the Wellcome Trust, said:
“This poll clearly demonstrates that a majority of the public supports experiments involving animals when these are necessary to advance medical research. But it also reminds us that we must communicate openly with the public if we are to maintain this high level of trust.
“There are understandable reasons why some members of the research community have been reluctant to speak out in the past, in the face of intimidation. The Government has acted firmly and helped build an environment in which it is safer to carry out and to speak out about animal research. It is now up to us – funders, academia and industry – to build on this and create a culture of greater openness and transparency, through an agreement that will spell out the responsibilities of every part of the scientific community.”
Sharmila Nebhrajani, Chief Executive of the Association of Medical Research Charities said:
“Medical research is the most popular charitable cause in the UK with over 11million people donating every month. As a result, medical research charities are able to invest over £1 billion a year into UK research to better understand and treat conditions that affect all our lives. We owe it to the public therefore to be clear about how and why we use animals so they can have confidence in the research their donations fund. As a sector we know the regulations in this country are among the most robust in the world and it is important that the public can see this too.
“Today’s poll shows that the majority of the public remain supportive of medical research involving animals where there is no other alternative and where the result of that research may lead in time to therapies or cures for serious disease – but it is clear the research sector has more to do.
“The commitment to a Concordat offers a real opportunity for the bioscience community to discuss medical research involving animals more openly and constructively with the public. And of course each of us may at some time be a patient who stands to gain from this research – so it is crucial we can build the confidence of the public in this important work.”
Professor Sir John Savill, Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council, said:
“People choose to work in medical research because they want to find cures and treatments for disease. Sometimes their research will involve the use of animals but it’s not a quick, cheap or easy option; animals are used when they’re the only option. Fortunately, UK research animals have never been better cared for and their use has never been more strictly regulated. We’re constantly looking at ways to reduce the number of animals used and to replace them with alternatives but, right now, their use is still necessary. The Medical Research Council has a long-held policy of being transparent about animal use and we believe we have a duty to be open to the taxpayers whose money we spend. We’re not just open, we’re proud of that research. This year alone, MRC-funded researchers have used mice to look at a mechanism which may hold the key to why brain cells die and cause dementia; transplanted stem cells into gerbils to cure deafness; and have successfully used adult human retinal stem cells to partially restore vision in rats, a crucial step in bringing forward a cure for some forms of blindness and giving hope to many patients. It’s hard to think of any treatment or drug therapy available today that has not relied on the use of animals at some point in its development and, where there is no viable alternative, we will continue to use animals in research to improve people’s lives.”
Prof Sir John Tooke, President, Academy of Medical Sciences said,
“We are concerned that the latest MORI poll indicates a drop in public support for the use of animals in medical research. It provides a strong signal to the biomedical community that we must create more opportunities for scientists to engage in dialogue with the public to discuss the role of animals in research. The commitment from so many organisations to improve openness is very welcome and an important first step towards changing the culture of how we communicate when and why animals are used in research.”
Dr Vicky Robinson, Chief Executive, NC3Rs, said:
“There is a risk that the MORI poll data will encourage the polarised debate that so often dominates any discussion on animal research. I hope that the scientific community will rise above any provocation and truly commit to a more open debate which takes account of both the importance and limitations of animal experiments.”
Prof Chris Higgins, Vice-Chancellor, Durham University, said:
“Durham University uses animals in a variety of its research work, which is strictly regulated and includes scientific procedures and observational work in the laboratory and in the field. In doing this, we strive for the very highest standards of care and wellbeing for all animals. Studying animals in the laboratory can help us understand more about the physical interactions between different parts of the body, gain knowledge which can be applied to the study of human physiology, and ultimately aid discovery and development of diagnostics, therapeutics, and new surgical procedures. Many of the world’s major medical breakthroughs have been thanks to many years of scientific work carried out with animals which share many genes and diseases with humans. Animal testing is usually the only option for testing treatments are safe before progressing to clinical trials in humans.
“Durham University is one of the UK’s leading universities for the quality of its science and is proud of the scientific and medical advancements it has made over many years. Our researchers are also using and developing new alternatives to animal laboratory testing, such as new and more realistic ways of growing human cell tissue in the laboratory, and using alternative technologies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional magnetic resonance imaging in humans to understand the biological basis of behaviour. Our researchers are also involved in programmes to improve the welfare of animals in their natural habitats and in captivity, and our research has been supported by organisations funding alternatives to animal use or refinement of techniques using animals (such as the Hadwin Trust and the National Centre for the 3Rs).”
Steve Bates, BIA Chief Executive Officer, BioIndustry Association, said:
“The life science sector is essential for UK jobs and growth. Maintaining a supportive environment for scientists and researchers including those doing animal research is vital for attracting inward investment that could move anywhere in the world.”
Stephen Whitehead, CEO, ABPI (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry), said:
“We are pleased to see that public support for the use of animals in medical research remains high, with two thirds finding it acceptable. We do however see the 10% drop in support as a wake-up call – it highlights a need for us to provide the public with better information. We must utilise this opportunity to be more forthright about the fact that without animal research, the bio-pharmaceutical sector cannot continue to innovate new treatments.
“We welcome the support of everyone who has signed the Declaration so far – well known charities, funders, and academia, along with some of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The signing of this Declaration marks the beginning of a much larger process, with all areas of the life sciences community coming together to reaffirm the importance of our work and recommit to openness in animal research.”