More than 200 years after Dr. James Parkinson first pondered the cause of his patient’s tremors, the substantia nigra Brain-Chip offers researchers a viable and promising alternative to current Parkinson’s disease animal models. In work supported in part by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at Harvard, Northeastern and the University of Athens.
LPT Mienenbüttel laboratory which was raided by police in 2019 after undercover footage showed horrific treatment of animals within the lab was quickly shutdown and now has now been transformed into a rescue centre for animals with thanks to Doris Firlus and her husband tireless work. Approximately 50 dogs arrived from Kyiv at the time of above article being published.
The ENGAGE Seminars are an annual competition, hosted by the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science in which late stage PhD students are challenged to present their research to the public. Runner-Up for Niall Treacy for his presentation "Keeping it Renal: Growing Kidney Tissue Without Using Animal Materials" (Supervisor: Assoc Prof John Crean).
Journalist Ken Foxe exclusively revealed in the Irish Independent through a Freedom Of Information request that four of Irelands main Universities spent almost €625k on live animals for medical research over last two years. Trinity College Dublin was the biggest spender of the four colleges, paying out €216,000 for live animals in 2020 and 2021. In records obtained.
Differences in genetics and physiology between species can change the way a drug is distributed and how fast it's metabolized. As a result, the predictive value of testing drug toxicity in non-human animals can be a little better than a coin flip. Analyses involving hundreds of post-market drug discontinuations have found toxicity to be a primary factor.
In 2011, botox company Allergan, based in Co. Mayo, received approval for a cell-based test to replace the majority of their animal testing. Unfortunately Allergen, Merz and Ipsen have not completely replaced animals for botox tests. Due to commercial confidentiality being prioritized over ethics. The cell-based tests have not been shared with other botox companies.
Eamonn Holmes OBE has continued to express his concerns about the cruel practice of testing on animals. Since Camp Beagle began Eamonn has taking to social media on a number of occasions to object to the unnecessary cruelty inflicted upon animals between the UK & Ireland. Eamonn replied to SAFRIreland last year saying “End Animal Testing.” Well thats the plan! 💡
The European Initiative Against Animal Testing closed at midnight on the 31st of August with 1,413,383 signatures. The citizens' initiative was launched in August 2021 by animal rights groups Cruelty Free Europe, PETA, Eurogroup for Animals, the European Coalition to End Animal Testing and The Body Shop, Dove and SAFRIreland.
Activists who filmed the Charles River Laboratories property in Ballina, Co. Mayo shared undercover with Anti-vivisection Groups between the UK & Ireland. Footage show countless large scale housing sheds for animals such as dogs, rodents and horses. Charles River Laboratories will test anything on any animal, if the price is right.
Sentient Rights Ireland and SAFRIreland held a peaceful demonstration outside the TCD Biomedical building on Pearse Street over two consecutive afternoons. Since opening in 2011 over 250,000+ animals have been tortured and killed here. This was one of many protests against animal testing in Ireland in 2022.
Breeches such as: Blood taken from wild animals without a licence, failure to provide food and water to mice and birds housed in cages smaller than required by law. USPCA chief executive Brendan Mullan said "These breaches are shocking and it certainly creates the impression that these animals are seen by some as objects, and not as sentient beings."
SAFRIreland's parting message for 2022:
