The European perspective on the. crisis in the transportation of laboratory animals Kirk Leech

Transcription

1 The European perspective on the, crisis in the transportation of laboratory animals Kirk Leech Executive Director Europeans Animal Research Association (EARA)

2 Background to the foundation of EARA European activists have developed increasingly effective tactics and smart strategies communications (social media) and lobbying European wide reduction in pro active communication on the benefits of animal research for animals and humans. Animal breeders and the supply chain have become the preferred targets for the activists European Life Sciences Sector is hampered by the absence of a consistent unified voice (public and private) for research Few national animal research advocacy defence groups in the EU

3 Purpose of EARA Facilitate: the establishment of local animal research advocacy groups and networks in countries where they don t exist Maintain and improve: a high level of public acceptance of medical research using animals, through a variety of communications means Create: a favourable climate for research using laboratory animals in Europe, through influencing national and EU decision makers Lead: pan European Transport initiatives, to counter pressure on the lab animals supply chain and the license to use laboratory animals in research

4 EARA pro active communications

5 Collaboration with the UK Government to defend Air France Letter from the UK government to the Guardian Newspaper Supported the continued need to to use animals in research Supported the use of NHP s in research Backed Air France s current stance on shipping NHP s

6 Current European situation: Gloomy Animal rights activists None activist reasons Ongoing and effective campaigns to halt the transport of laboratory animals. The vast majority of which are not criminal Social media campaigning: s/petitions/celebrity endorsement Phone campaigns to companies/government departments/transport providers Airport Leafleting/protests/threats of protests/ boycott attempt/threats to boycott Claimed and real capitulations Even before the boycott campaigns there were and are pre existing policies not to transport Financial incentive is minimal, small margins v high potential (non financial) costs) Impact on brand reputation seen only in a negative light No benefit to over come technical difficulties in transporting animals No need for imaginative thinking

7 The UK transportation situation Early 2012 campaigns by animal rights activists led to the closure of all surface routes to transport animals for biomedical purposes into the UK Imported animals are both research and business critical Effective blockade also prevents important international collaborations Unprecedented assault on continuity of supply, placing future of UK life sciences R&D in jeopardy

8 The impact on the EU Life Sciences of the transport boycott Reduction in the choice of transport routes impacts the long term feasibility of the EU as a base for key medical research studies Essential time critical work likely to relocated outside the EU Routinely moved studies abroad will impact R&D investment decisions by companies/academic institutions of EU facilities Researchers are openly voicing concerns over relocating to countries such as the UK Reliance on charter air freight leads to significantly higher costs, EU will become significantly less competitive Success will embolden activists to move on to other soft opportunities

9 How did we respond in the UK? We set up a cross sector transport task force involving commercial and non commercial organisations Held two top level summit meetings with the UK transport sector Worked with the UK Government on presenting our case to the transport companies and exploring alternative solutions. Include a meeting a 10 Downing Street. Meetings involved Government Departments, police, medical research charities, academia, publically funded research, commercial organisations and the UK transport sector Developed a legal, welfare, and ethical framework that we would follow for the transport of research animals to share with the transport providers The result was and still is impasse Dealt successfully with the media who had wind of the boycott.

10 UK public support for animal research

11 Does the public feel informed: well no!

12 What forms of protest are supported?

13 The changing face of animal rights activism From To

14 Animal activists targeting trends

15 Citizens Initiative

16 Breakdown of countries signatures (before verification announced) Italy Germany France Spain Poland Belgium Hungary Bulgaria 16

17 AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING PAN EUROPEAN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

18 (1) Concordat on Openness and Animal Research October 2012, 40 organization s involved with bioscience in the UK signed a Declaration on Openness on Animal Research. They commit to developing a Concordat setting out how they would be more open about the ways in which animals are used in scientific, medical and veterinary research in the UK. In May, 2014 the Concordat on Openness in Animal Research in the UK was launched with over 80 organisations. The Concordat commits its signatories to enhance their communication about their use of animals.

19 Principles of the Concordat on Openness and Animal Research Commitment 1: We will be clear about when, how and why we use animals in research Commitment 3: We will be proactive in providing opportunities for the public to find out about research using animals Commitment 2: We will enhance our communications with the media and the public about our research using animals Commitment 4: We will report on progress annually and share our experiences

20 (2) Pet Passport scheme

21 (3) Customer ethical attitudes survey

22 Thank you for the opportunity to present to you Kirk Leech