Newcastle resists call to end monkey experiments

Newcastle University has rejected a call by the National Anti-Vivisection Society to end testing on primates, and has countered claims that it uses animals born to parents captured in the wild.

Paul Flecknell, director of Newcastle’s Research Animal Facilities told Research Fortnight by email that more than 90 per cent of medical research undertaken at the university did not involve experiments on animals and that primates were only used when it was not possible to conduct the research by other means.

“Research using animals has made, and continues to make, a vital contribution to the understanding, treatment and cure of many health problems including cancer, Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, diabetes and mental illness,” Flecknell said. Research at Newcastle was also dedicated to understanding animal behaviour and improving the welfare and well-being of animals, he said.