Release:
Date: July 4th 2007

Conservatives Call on Commission to End Primate Experiments Across
Europe

Scientific trials on Man's closest relative must stop in EU
laboratories

Brussels, 4th July 2007 -- European politicians are backing a campaign
to end scientific experiments on monkeys across the EU.

Conservative MEP John Bowis is sponsoring a cross-party Written
Declaration on primates in experiments, which has been signed by 178
MEPs from all over Europe including Conservative MEPs representing
every region across the UK.

More than 10,000 primates are used in experiments every year in EU
laboratories, including around 1,000 monkeys snatched terrified from
the wild. Almost all species share more than 90 per cent of their DNA
with humans and can suffer greatly in captivity.

Mr Bowis, health spokesman for the Conservatives in the European
Parliament and a former Health Minister, said: "More than a quarter of
primate species are in danger of extinction, yet wild-caught primates
continue to be captured and taken from their natural habitat to be
used for research in EU laboratories.

"Advancements in technology has provided alternative 'test' methods
that are proving to be more efficient and reliable than primate
experiments and ending the use of monkeys and apes in scientific
trials must now be a priority."

Eight in every 10 respondents to the Commission's public consultation
on animals in experiments last year said the use of primates was not
acceptable.

Animals Defenders International (ADI) has long campaigned for a
European ban and charity representatives will be lobbying MEPs to
support their call for urgent action at the European Parliament in
Strasbourg next week.

Jan Creamer, chief executive of ADI, said: "This Written Declaration
represents a remarkable opportunity for the European Parliament to
commit to real progress to end experiments on primates. We are
especially pleased that the Declaration is drawing together support
from MEPs of all political persuasions of all countries across Europe.
It is known that primates suffer terribly in the confinement of the
laboratory, that results from monkeys cannot be extrapolated to people
with real precision and that modern techniques enabling human based
research are the way forward.

"Apes and monkeys are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.
Their suffering when captured from the wild, imprisoned in holding
cages, taken from their families, shipped across the world and used in
experiments in European laboratories is indefensible. Scientists,
conservationists and parliamentarians agree - it is time to end the
use of Great Apes and wild-caught primates in laboratories and set a
timetable for an end to the use of our biological cousins in all
research."

ENDS

"Tests on animals have led to around 100 drugs being thought potentially useful for stroke; not one has proved effective in humans. You don't need to be a balaclava-wearing animal rights activist to question the value of animal studies in this area of medical research."