What are you hiding?

Animal experimentation is a secretive industry. I am constantly amazed (and frustrated) that so many people are oblivious to the fact that animal experiments are conducted in Australia. In fact, a Nexus survey commissioned by Humane Research Australia revealed that “57% of respondents were not even aware animals are used in experimental research in Australia”, yet around six million animals are used every year – and Australian taxpayers are funding much of it.

So, why do so few people know what’s going on? If animal experiments are so essential to human health why aren’t researchers flouting their use? Perhaps it’s because they are not essential. Perhaps it’s because they can, instead be dangerously misleading. And perhaps these researchers know in their hearts that what they are subjecting animals to is actually very cruel and they don’t want people to know.

If you write to any company or institution about animal use they will almost always reply that they only use animals when absolutely necessary, they adhere to strict legislation and codes of practice and that their work is approved by an ethics committee. To any person less familiar with the industry that response might be quite comforting. The reality is however that the current systems do little to protect animals from suffering. Consider the lambs shaken to death to prove shaken baby syndrome, or chicks brains injected with memantine to test their memory or feeding alcohol to mice to induce depression. Can each of these be justified because they were approved by an ethics committee, or that there was no alternative?

These experiments were funded by Australian taxpayers – surely the tax payer has a right to know what Australian taxes are being spent on?

Yet obtaining information about what actually happens to animals in research can be a challenging process. Questions to the funding bodies are usually directed to the state departments responsible for animal welfare. State departments commonly refer questions back to the funding body.  Requests for information – minutes of Animal Ethics Committee (AEC) meetings, annual reports - are denied, and straightforward requests such as statistics are at best difficult to obtain.

Those of us who oppose animal research have an obvious interest in more disclosure. We believe that if the public was adequately informed, there would be more pressure to stop or minimise it. But so arguably do those who see a need for such research and are concerned about the respect for animal welfare in laboratories.

Greater transparency is also supported by significant voices on the research side. More information, it’s argued, would dispel some of the inaccuracies about research coming from animal advocates. It would also help educate the public about what are seen by many in the biomedical community as significant benefits to humans. For example, at the 44th annual Society for Neuroscience Conference last year, scientists and activists urged their colleagues to be more open about animal testing in research, saying transparency will foster understanding of the research and its use of animal models.

But while it may be that all sides of the animal research debate desire transparency, Australia remains behind the rest of the world, making minimal effort towards openness, better communication, greater accountability and more public access to information.

The European Union has addressed such concerns and Article 43.3 Directive 2010/63/EU now requires that non-technical summaries are published by the European Member States in order to provide the public with access to information concerning projects using live animals.

These summaries must include title, purpose, objectives and benefits, number and type of animals, predicted harms and application of the 3Rs (Reduction, Refinement & Replacement). They must be written in non-scientific language and accessible for five years.

Certain projects (including those which use non-human primates) must also undergo a retrospective analysis – a powerful tool to facilitate critical review of the use of animals. It is believed that this facilitates improved design for similar studies, raises openness of best practice and prevents mistakes.

Summaries are compulsory in the EU States since2013 and are certain to make a significant contribution to transparency.

Australia does not have a good reputation when it comes to animal usage. It is the fourth highest user in actual numbers (first in ratio to population), behind only China, Japan and the United States, with no commitment to reduce the numbers used. Unlike more progressive nations Australia does not have any government-funded institutions dedicated to the development and validation of alternative research methods. 

It’s time the Australian research community follows the lead of the European Union by lifting the veil of secrecy so that we can all have an open and honest debate about animal experimentation. Until such time the issue will remain polarised and animals will continue to suffer – in secret – in laboratories.

For further information about animal experiments: Please visit www.HumaneResearch.org.au
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HumaneResearchAustralia/

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HRAust