Biological and Chemical Weapons (Hansard, 7 March 2003)

§ Dr. Moonie

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) at Porton Down has the remit to provide the United Kingdom and its Armed Forces with safe and effective protection in the event of Chemical or Biological weapons being used against them. Wherever possible, scientists at Dstl Porton Down are developing in-vitro models to replace and reduce the numbers of animals involved. However, to undertake this research effectively necessitates some research involving the use of animals.

It is not possible to determine the relative success rates of the use of in-vitro techniques and animal experiments. However, both elements make an invaluable contribution to the medical countermeasures programme.

In-vitro non-animal techniques are routinely used to screen candidate therapeutic drugs and treatments. These include the use of donated human skin to screen prospective barrier cream formulations, and the use of cell and tissue cultures to evaluate new antibiotics and improved anti-convulsant drugs.

Over the last five years the research programme at Dstl Porton Down to develop new generation vaccines for plague and anthrax has continued to progress well: the candidate plague vaccine is already in clinical trials; and the candidate anthrax vaccine is expected to enter clinical trials later this year. Additionally, the results of several years' research has lead to the proposal for a new nerve agent pre-treatment and a change in one of the drugs contained in the triple therapy Combopen. These drugs are currently undergoing studies to satisfy the regulatory and licensing requirements. The Ministry of Defence is committed to these improvements in the provision of treatment for nerve agent poisoning as they offer not only an enhancement in survivability but also a significant decrease in incapacitation following poisoning by nerve agents.