New animal testing laws 'not before time'
Posted, September 16, 2008 @ 18:00
Animal experiments should become less frequent and more humane
Brussels, 16th September 2008 -- European Commission proposals - due to be announced Wednesday - updating antiquated animal testing legislation will help provide new approaches that minimize animal experiments, and improve conditions in the few cases when testing must still take place, Neil Parish, Conservative MEP and President of the European Parliament's Animal Welfare Intergroup, said.
In 2002, MEPs voted to ban all animal testing on new cosmetic products and last June the European Parliament passed a resolution sponsored by Conservative MEP, John Bowis, which called for a timetable for replacing the use of all primates in scientific experiments with alternatives.
Mr Parish said:
"In an ideal world, animal testing would be outlawed, but this can only be done when we have sufficient alternative testing methods in place.
"We must create the right conditions for scientists to develop new techniques and technology to significantly reduce the number of animal tests conducted, and to improve conditions for the animals used.
"Animal testing is sadly still necessary but we all look forward to the day when it can feasibly be banished to history."