AMRC is today one of nine key UK bioscience organisations to sign a Declaration of Concern about the revision of EU Directive 86/609. The signatories represent academia, industry, animal carers, charities and other research funders, as well as patient and medical groups. The Declaration is to be sent to relevant senior European officials and all members of the Agriculture committee in advance of their meeting on 31 March.
The revised Directive will be the overarching law regulating all animal experimentation across Europe for the foreseeable future. It is of major importance to the bioscience sector.
The revision of the Directive is an opportunity for all sectors to advance animal welfare, minimise animal use and achieve a level playing field for regulation across Europe. It should also promote good science, a competitive pharmaceutical industry and the development of new medicines.
However, in the draft put forward by the European Commission last November, there are significant additional restrictions to what is already the most highly regulated use of animals anywhere in the world. These could hinder research, stifle innovation, damage the pharmaceutical industry and delay the development of new medicines and treatments without improving animal welfare.
The European Parliament Agriculture Committee is due to vote on amendments to the Draft Directive on Tuesday 31 March.
Commenting on the Directive, Dr Sophie Petit-Zeman, Head of External Relations, Association of Medical Research Charities, said:
"As it stands, the Directive looks set to make some good contributions to animal welfare, but includes some proposals that defy belief. That’s why, on behalf of our member charities and the people they are there to help, we need to push the European Parliament to take a long hard look at the Directive so that research for patient benefit doesn’t get tangled up in absurd, illogical piles of red tape."
25 March 2009
Further information
1. The full declaration can be viewed here.
2. Full statement on Understanding Animal Research website
3. AMRC timeline to EU Animals Directive 86/609/EEC
Contact
Dr Sophie Petit-Zeman
Head of External Relations
Association of Medical Research Charities
07799 764475