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UK: Primate Experiment Lab Approved Cambridge University has received UK Government approval for a controversial laboratory in which it intends to carry out brain experiments on monkeys. Published: 2003/11/21 14:11:55 GMT Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott ruled in favour of the proposed centre at Girton, near Cambridge. The university wants to build the £20m lab to carry out neurological research. Animal rights groups fiercely oppose the plans, saying the work is cruel. Local planners had previously thrown out the university's request to build the lab after police raised fears about public safety at the site, on a main road. The university appealed against the decision and a public inquiry was held late last year. But after the direct intervention of Tony Blair and his chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, in support of the planning application, the issue was called into Whitehall for a final decision. 'Special circumstances' On Friday, Mr Prescott's office said the inspector recommended that the university's appeal be dismissed but Mr Prescott disagreed. "...the Secretary of State concludes that in the circumstances of this case very special circumstances exist that are sufficient to outweigh any harm to the Green Belt and other interests caused by the development," a spokesperson said. Cambridge University said it was pleased the research centre had been given the go-ahead. "It is reassuring that the government is sending this unequivocal message of support for neuroscience in the UK," Professor Tony Minson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, of Cambridge University, said. 'Dubious' science Neuroscientists argue that experimenting on monkeys - close relatives of humans - is the only way to progress research towards new understanding and medicines that will combat the diseases that afflict a "greying population". Our work on basic brain function couldn't be applied to human disease without some sort of research being done on animals Professor Chris Higgins, MRC's Clinical Services Centre They point to successful treatments for Parkinson's and new brain-imaging technology that they claim could only have been achieved by studying primate biology. But animal rights groups say the science is flawed because the monkey and human brains differ in vital respects, making many experiments worthless. They also question the university's record on animal welfare, arguing recent undercover work has revealed poor practice in the university's other labs. Street protest Wendy Higgins, from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (Buav), said the decision was no surprise, coming "just at the time that Cambridge University itself is throwing doubt over the project due to rising costs. "This means the government has kept its bargain to back up the vivisection industry by granting approval in the full knowledge that the final decision is now left to the university." The Buav predicted that if the project went ahead, it would be blighted at every step by animal rights protests. "With such a display of arrogant disregard for public opinion, is it any wonder that an increasing number of citizens feel their only option is to abandon the political process and take to the streets instead?" Higgins said. The university admits it is now facing a multimillion pound shortfall in funding for the centre - further costs have had to be factored in because of new animal welfare regulations and the need for extra security. This has led to wide speculation in campaign groups that Cambridge, now that it has its "victory", will withdraw its application, with the government moving all primate research to its military research centre at Porton Down. "Cambridge is looking for a way out," said Andrew Tyler, the director of Animal Aid. "If they take it to Porton Down it will compound the fact that this grotesque and pointless research by making it secret and inaccessible as well. Wherever it goes, we will fight it." 'Crucial role' Primates represent a very small part of the animal experimentation programme in Britain. The vast majority of procedures are done on rodents. Less than 3,500 experiments are carried out on, mostly, marmosets and macaques, and very few of these will involve a highly invasive practice such as cutting into the brain. Professor Chris Higgins, director of the Medical Research Council's Clinical Services Centre, said: "Our work on basic brain function couldn't be applied to human disease without some sort of research being done on animals - and in some cases, these animals have to be primates. "The human brain is clearly more complex than a mouse's, so problems such as memory degeneration have to be studied in the brain of an animal that has the same level of memory functions as a human being." The decision was also welcomed by the Parkinson's Disease Society. "Improved treatment and the search for a cure depend crucially on a better understanding of the processes of the disease," a spokesperson said. "In the last few decades thousands of people with Parkinson's have benefited from new therapies, such as L-Dopa, which would not have been developed but for the insights gained from research involving animals." Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/3226316.stm SOURCE: BBC News UK Edition http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3226316.stm Go to above link for archived BBC News references.... Go to above link to watch and listen to the BBC News UK Edition Cambridge University gets new monkey tests lab http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_840422.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn