There are plans to build a high level [3] virus containment facility & animal testing lab in Camden. The lab has been described as "becoming the world's largest ever animal testing lab" & will be partially govt funded by 40 -50%. Currently Huntingdon Life Sciences near Cambridge is the third largest such European lab & the two labs could be in direct "competition" with each other say campaigners.
Medical testing is carried out at contract testing lab Huntindon Life Sciences which has been at the centre of campaigns and controversy. Undercover journalists and PETA activists have filmed inside the contract company who were found to be falsifying experimental test data, breaking the Good Laboratory Practice and were filmed carrying out cruelty to animals including scenes where beagle puppies were punched and monkey's tortured to death with autopsy while conscious. It is claimed that killer drugs such as Vioxx were tested at HLS [Huntingdon Life Sciences]. Vioxx was intended to relieve arthritis and caused heart attacks resulting in death in humans.
Campaigners SHAC [Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty] have campaigned to shut HLS down on mainly animal cruelty grounds ever since and many are now in prison. "Crimes" include blackmail and "intefering with legal contracts" etc. Some people see these "crimes" as animal rescue even if this is described as the "extreme end" of animal rescue [or fighting for the freedom of animals].
It is argued that such contract [ie for profit] testing can lead to corruption such as falsifying experimental test data.
What campaigners are now asking is will the UKCMRI project replace medical testing at HLS? If so how will this affect medical testing?
It is no secret that commercial interests have a grip on Universities. Novartis, Eisai etc are all inside the UCL [University College London] and therefore affect learning there. The UCL are part of the UKCMRI consortium. However the UKCMRI panel have said that the lab will be paid for with public funds [40 -50%] and by charities. They have also said that they will be a non profit lab unlike HLS. [They have said too in their own words that they "need to compete with North America and Asia who are catching up".]
If the UKCMRI replace medical testing at HLS this will mean that HLS will test only for the non medical industries...ie they will test toilet cleaner, drink sweeteners, pesticides etc on animals. [Which realistically could spell the end for them].
The big question is. How will this affect Camden and the campaign by residents that is Lab v Housing?
Will HLS fight this if it turns out to be the case that medical testing will cease at HLS as a result of UKCMRI?
At the moment this is just a hypothetical question but a valid an important one.
Campaigners SHAC [Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty] have campaigned to shut HLS down on mainly animal cruelty grounds ever since and many are now in prison. "Crimes" include blackmail and "intefering with legal contracts" etc. Some people see these "crimes" as animal rescue even if this is described as the "extreme end" of animal rescue [or fighting for the freedom of animals].
It is argued that such contract [ie for profit] testing can lead to corruption such as falsifying experimental test data.
What campaigners are now asking is will the UKCMRI project replace medical testing at HLS? If so how will this affect medical testing?
It is no secret that commercial interests have a grip on Universities. Novartis, Eisai etc are all inside the UCL [University College London] and therefore affect learning there. The UCL are part of the UKCMRI consortium. However the UKCMRI panel have said that the lab will be paid for with public funds [40 -50%] and by charities. They have also said that they will be a non profit lab unlike HLS. [They have said too in their own words that they "need to compete with North America and Asia who are catching up".]
If the UKCMRI replace medical testing at HLS this will mean that HLS will test only for the non medical industries...ie they will test toilet cleaner, drink sweeteners, pesticides etc on animals. [Which realistically could spell the end for them].
The big question is. How will this affect Camden and the campaign by residents that is Lab v Housing?
Will HLS fight this if it turns out to be the case that medical testing will cease at HLS as a result of UKCMRI?
At the moment this is just a hypothetical question but a valid an important one.
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
Finally an AR campaign re Camden
15.02.2010 08:29
Animal Rights in the South East
This is a multi issue campaign with mnay different reasons why Camden opposes it
15.02.2010 17:07
While some people might be being "NIMBY" about this I don't think right next to St Pancras International is a sensible place to put a lab. I think also that there should be a complete overhaul of how medical research is carried out.
It is true that people who support research carried out on animals are also against the UKCMRI lab.
Mandy Ford
residents campaign
27.04.2010 17:06
bill