European Parliament to promote alternatives to animal testing

Neil Parish, an outgoing Conservative MEP and PPC for Tiverton, has issued a press release after the European Parliament backed tougher laws on animal testing which he drafted.

This legislation is aimed at making animal testing obsolete by promoting alternative methods, while stopping short of an outright ban. However, there will be regular reviews into the necessity of testing on primates. The '3Rs' principles of replacement, refinement and reduction will be followed.

Mr Parish commented:

"It is essential that we balance the need to reduce and eliminate animal testing with the need to ensure that high quality research for new medicines for human health continues.

This directive sets the framework to allow us create an environment where animal testing is made redundant yet it will not impede scientists’ work in tackling debilitating and terminal medical conditions.

This law will ensure that animal tests are carried out in the most humane way possible. The current law is over 20 years old and desperately needed updating.

These proposals would mean that testing on animals - particularly primates - could only be conducted if there was a strong scientific case for doing so and a clear potential benefit to human health.

We all look forward to the day when we no longer need any animal testing. This new law is intended to make that day come far sooner."