The animal research policy announced by the Green Party in its election manifesto would put an end to “huge swathes” of UK medical, veterinary and environmental research, according to the advocacy group Understanding Animal Research.
In the manifesto, launched on 14 April, the Green Party said it believed immediate action should be taken to end “non-medical” experiments using primates, cats and dogs, to stop the breeding of genetically altered animals and to ensure the publication of all findings, including negative results.
In a policy statement issued on 15 April, UAR says that more than 50 per cent of UK research involves the breeding of genetically altered animals, including investigations of genetic diseases. Banning animal use in non-medical research would, the UAR suggests, preclude the development of a badger vaccine against TB, among other things. Such a vaccine might end the badger cull, which the Green Party opposes.
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