As part of the worldwide movement to replace animal experiments, Australia’s Medical Advances Without Animals Trust is pleased to announce that Dr Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist, was the keynote speaker at a recent ground-breaking event at the European Parliament in Brussels where a petition was presented to Replace Animal Experiments in Europe in the run up to the revision of Europe’s animal research legislation.
The Dr Hadwen Trust for Humane Research and the Humane Society International have joined forces to launch a major new report Towards a European Science Without Animal Experiments which sets out the ethical, scientific, human health and economic advantages of pursuing the replacement of animal research in Europe. New EU legislation could help to lead the world towards a more progressive and compassionate future.
"Australia must not be left behind in the development and use of non-animal methods of medical research and safety testing", says Elizabeth Ahlston, co-founder and trustee of The Medical Advances Without Animals Trust. "In the 21st century MAWA could and should become a world leader in the rapidly growing movement to completely replace animal experimentation", she added. "We are both excited and encouraged by the growing number of forward thinking scientists who are supporting our work".
The MAWA Trust is taking a leading role and has previously contributed towards the use of non-animal methodologies by supporting research using human tissue and cell cultures, human gene studies, epidemiology and volunteer studies. In addition to in vitro research MAWA is now extending its support to include in silico methods of computational techniques and mathematical modelling and a combined data mining and molecular biology approach. The Trust recently awarded its 2008 MAWA Doctoral, Honours and Supplementary Research Scholarships, and two MAWA Research Grants.
Interviews and photographs available upon request
For further information please contact:
Elizabeth Ahlston MAWA Trustee 02 9559 1512
Sharyn Watson MAWA Executive Officer 02 6287 1980