ALICE MARMARA: ‘In 2016, Birmingham University used near to 54,000 animals for research including 52,455 mice used in labs, 1,385 rats, 798 fish and 90 frogs and newts. These figures present a notable increase from previous years, with 7,000 more animals being used than in 2015. The use of mice specifically has increased by 10,000 over a five-year period. These animals were found to be used for a variety of experiments, including: Mice being injected with toxins to replicate chronic liver injury; Rodents being inoculated with bioluminescent chemicals; Tetanus toxins being injected directly into rats’ brain… In response to the release of these figures and the experiments, the University has come under scrutiny from the Animal Justice Project, an international non-profit organisation working towards ending experiments on animals…
Dr André Menache, the Animal Justice Project’s science adviser, described the experiments as “a waste of public money and animal lives” given what is known about the differences between mice and men. Instead, he believes that there should be a concerted effort on the part of the University to conduct evidence-based and human-relevant research. “Given what we know today about the differences between mice and men, to continue stubbornly to waste public money and animal lives is tantamount to scientific fraud.” Dr Menache’s comments were supported by Claire Palmer, a spokesperson for the project, who criticised the University’s failure “to move with the times”. Palmer used a 2016 Ipsos Mori poll which concluded 74% of the public wanted funding into finding an alternative to animal research, and used the increase in Veganism by over 360% over the past decade to support her argument’. SOURCE…
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