HC Deb 06 December 1971 vol 827 cc238-9W
Mr. Lomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that smallpox can now be satisfactorily prepared from inoculated chorioal lantoic membranes of chicken embryos as well as from vesicles on the skin of an inoculated calf, whether he will take steps to prohibit the preparation of smallpox vaccines by the calf-lymph method, thus avoiding the use of live animals for the production of this vaccine.

Mr. Alison

I have been asked to reply.

We would welcome the use of chicken embryos in the preparation of an effective smallpox vaccine, but research leading to production by this method is not yet complete.

Back to