Science organizations and Nobel laureates defend animal research in Europe

The scientific research and development in Europe is facing a unique challenge from the European Citizen’s Initiative’s (ECI) Stop Vivisection proposal. This proposal calls for “the European Commission to abrogate directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and to present a new proposal that does away with animal experimentation.”

This initiative, which has gathered support in the form of 1.2 million signatures from 26 of European Union’s member states, has been submitted to the European Commission for consideration. The organizers have targeted the European Directive 2010/63/EU, which according to them, assists greater reliance on animal research.

However, the ECI’s proposal is facing staunch opposition from over 149 science organizations that include honorable learned societies, well-known universities, and patient groups. Defending the European Directive, they have signed a joint statement that declares, “Research on animals continues to be necessary to understand human and animal health and disease, and to develop and improve treatments for patient benefit across the world.”

Additionally, sixteen Nobel laureates have thrown their weight behind the Directive. In an open letter to the European Commission that was published in The Times and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Nobel Prize awardees have called for the plea to be disregarded because according to them, “The carefully considered European Directive 2010/63/EU enhances animal welfare standards across Europe, ensures that research into alternatives continues, and commits researchers to reducing, refining and replacing animals wherever possible.” They add that upholding the initiative would “represent a significant step backwards both for animal welfare in the EU and for Europe's leading role in advancing human and animal health.”   

The Stop Vivisection initiative, which has received an overwhelming support in Italy, is the third ECI initiative to gain enough public support to be taken into consideration by the European Commission. Since the previous two initiatives were rejected, Carsten Berg, coordinator of the ECI Campaign says, “The pressure [on the Commission to take action] is bigger compared to previous initiatives.”

The organizers of the Stop Vivisection initiative will on May 11 present their case in a public hearing in the European Parliament, as will Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, the French Nobel laureate and virologist, who will speak in favor of the Directive and continued animal research. The European Commission will have about a month to decide whether the proposal should be turned into legislation or disregarded.