HUMANE APPROACH TOWARDS LAB ANIMALS CALLED FOR SHRI T.R. BAALU EMPHASIZES REHABILITATION OF USED ANIMALS

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"Animals being used in laboratory experiments are rendering yeomen service to humanity and in turn they deserve a humane approach" said the Environment & Forests Minister, Shri T.R. Baalu while inaugurating an "International Conference on Alternatives to Use of Animals in Research & Education", here today. The three day Conference is being organized by the Ministry of Environment & Forests and Department of Bio-technology to explore ways to reduce pain to the animals being used for various scientific experiments.

Shri Baalu has said use of animals in experiments began in the country as early as in 1898 when there was an outbreak of plague and expanded phenomenally since then. He said "the magnitude on which experiments are being undertaken on animals as also the relative degree of insensitivity to the treatment meted out to laboratory animals make it imperative to focus on tangible and specific measures to treat the animals more humanely and to improve the condition of animal houses". Stating that a host of pharmaceuticals and chemicals are being inflicted upon experimental animals without being aware of their consequences, Shri Baalu stressed that proper care of laboratory animals was required for the sake of reliability of research results. While emphasizing the need to follow the norm of three Rs i.e. Reduction in the number of animals used, Refinement of experimental methods to reduce pain and Replacement of animals by alternatives Shri Baalu added the fourth dimension of ‘Rehabilitation’ of used animals.

Dr. Manju Sharma, Secretary in the Department of Bio-technology said "while the use of animals in research is inevitable, it should be qualified by a rational and humane approach". While the human kind requires continued progression of science, the scientific enquiry shall confirm to the guidelines for experimentation on animals, she said.

Shri K.C. Misra, Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests said that the Committee For the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals(CPCSEA) is the apex regulatory body in this regard and so far 731 institutes are registered with it. The Committee has also approved 96 breeders for supply of different species of laboratory animals for the purpose of research. Institutional Animal Ethics Committees are empowered to regulate experimentation on animals at the field level, he said.

About 300 experts from India and abroad will be deliberating on alternatives to use of animals in biomedical research, education and regulatory research during the three day Conference. Foreign experts from the Human Society for the United States, USA, Fund For Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments, United Kingdom, The International Network for Human Education, UK and the Netherlands Centre for Alternatives to Animals Use, Netherlands are also participating in the Conference.