Report should drive more active support for necessary primate research - HARRIS

12.03.09pm GMT Tue 12th Dec 2006

Responding to today's report of the Weatherall committee, commissioned by the Royal Society, Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council and the Academy of Medical Sciences to examine the scientific basis for use of non-human primates within research, Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat Science spokesman, said:

"Where there is the potential for benefits for human health and where there is no adequate alternative, then carefully-regulated research using non-human primates is not only acceptable but should be positively supported. The refusal of companies like British Airways to help import non-human primates for use in approved medical research is a pathetic and cowardly cave-in to extremist tactics. It is high time we heard the Health Secretary speak out in support of this research. Health service silence is deafening"

Dr Harris, who was himself a human guinea pig for a potential AIDS vaccine which was developed following research on monkeys, said:

"This report confirms that non-human primates are essential in the development and testing of vaccines and treatments against such massive killers as malaria and HIV/AIDS. AIDS and malaria charities and other development NGOs should be at the forefront of defending those scientists who work under great pressure using monkeys to try to cure or prevent these modern day plagues. Too many celebrities and politicians can be seen backing both anti-vivisection campaigns and AIDS vaccine and drug research. That inconsistency should be exposed"

"The UK has some of the tightest regulation of animal research and some of the best science, including the work of my constituent Prof Tipu Aziz, worldwide. Hundreds of times more patients with Parkinson's disease have been helped by deep brain stimulation than the number of monkeys used to develop the treatment."