§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the use of animals in drug testing, with particular reference to those used in anxiety models for drugs; and if he will make a statement. [102252]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe use of animals in drug testing Is kept under review and each project licence application is considered on its individual merits. Licences are issued only after the likely benefits (to man, animals or the environment) have been weighed against the costs to the animals involved and if there are no alternatives which replace animal use, reduce the number of animals needed or refine the experimental design to minimise suffering. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate advises on whether, and on what terms, licences and certificates should be granted or amended.
Various licences have been granted in the United Kingdom to assess the efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical agents or study the mechanisms of addiction but none can be described as models for lifestyle drugs.