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Animals (Experiments)

Volume 83: debated on Thursday 25 July 1985

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asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many animals have been deliberately inflicted with shock at the Medical Research Council trauma unit, Manchester, over the last 10 years.

I understand that the Medical Research Council trauma unit, which was established seven years ago, has used a total of 2,703 rats and 294 mice; no other species have been used. By no means have all these animals been subjected to the condition known as clinical shock, involving circulatory collapse. Experimental injuries are produced only in fully anaesthetised animals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the policy of the Medical Research Council with regard to the use of animals in experiments at its trauma unit in Manchester.

The staff of the Medical Research Council's trauma unit, in common with all scientists supported by the council, are required to observe the principle that animals should be used in their research only when necessary, an in the minimum numbers consistent with achieving valid results in any experiment. The council also expects those whose work it supports to use, wherever possible, procedures which do not involve live animals. There are, however, many areas of medical research — of which the work of the trauma unit is an example — where, because of the need to study the complex interactions in a whole body, it is not possible to make progress without using experimental animals. In such cases research workers are required to carry out their work under licence from the Home Office, in strict accordance with the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.