29 May 2009

Letters Editor
Herald
200 Renfield Street, Glasgow
G2 3PR

Many cynics would have us believe that the EP has no power, or that the issues over which it can exert power are not at the heart of the general public, hence there is no point in voting on 4 June . The reality is quite different and animal welfare is one area where the EP has significant powers for passing amendments to relevant legislation that can improve the plight of animals. Your report (Glowing monkeys spark ethics storm, 28/05/09) illustrates once more the grotesque depths to which the use of our closest living relatives for experimentation can descend. Concerns about the potential genetic engineering of human beings, as expressed in the article, are justified – but that is a distant prospect. The reality, for millions of animals around the world, is that they are already being manipulated and exploited in a manner to which many citizens strongly object. And now we have glowing marmosets, bred to be used “like mice”, according to your report, as research tools.

In 2007, the European Parliament supported a Written Declaration calling for a timetable to replace all primate experiments with non-animal alternatives in the EU. Regrettably, following massive research industry lobbying, a potential phase-out of the use of primates under the new experiments directive was reduced to a commitment to regular reviews of the progress towards their replacement. It will be up to the next European Parliament to ensure that those reviews take place and are rigorous in nature.

In the fight against human suffering and disease, there is already a vast field of work based on non-animal scientific research and testing that is directly relevant to humans. Examples range from cell and molecular studies and ultra-sensitive analytical techniques, such as accelerator mass spectrometry, to high-powered computer models that realistically simulate the human body and its component systems and organs. This is the way forward for medical research. I believe that Scottish and other EU citizens want to see more resources and more belief invested in humane alternatives, rather than the continued exploitation of primates and other animals. The promotion of animal welfare is one of the many areas where the EU can take a lead, and all Scots who care about these issues should make their feelings known at the polls next week.

Yours sincerely


David Martin MEP
Midlothian Innovation Centre
Pentlandfield
Midlothian EH10 9RE

0131 440 9040


Please visit http://www.naturewatch.org/news/EuropeanElections040609.asp