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Anti-vivisection group hits out at lifestyle drugs tests

Apparently the drugs don’t work

World Lab Animal Week highlights rats on ecstasy. Words: Louisa Pearson

he National Anti-Vivisection Society

has turned its attention to ‘lifestyle

drugs’ as the focus of this year’s World Lab Animal Week. Its campaign headline reads: ‘Animals don’t drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, take ecstasy, amphetamines and cocaine, use sugar substitutes to lose weight . . . Should they suffer to indulge people?’ While many people are prepared to accept animal testing to produce drugs with medical benefits, few would agree that animals should suffer just to find out the long-term implications of getting off your tits every weekend.

Experiments highlighted by NAVS include a study at the University of Edinburgh in which rats were given ecstasy for three days then studied for sixteen further days before being decapitated. At Huntingdon Research Centre in Cambridgeshire, dogs have been force-fed and injected with an artificial sweetener - sucralose - despite it having been the subject of 113 studies and being available in 30 countries. The aim of World Lab Animal Week is to raise awareness of such

directed l‘r‘y

he. Darren Aronofsky rP.

practices. Campaigners around the country will demonstrate, hand out information and wear ‘silver lock’ badges to show their support.

The events are part of a bigger NAVS campaign over the Freedom of Information Act which became law at the end of November, but which doesn’t yet encompass vivisection. The government is concerned about violence against animal experimenters, fearing that a repeal of Section 24 - a secrecy clause of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act of 1986 would increase the chance of extremists targeting the experimenters.

NAVS argues that there is no need to publish the names and addresses of individuals, but that repealing the section would create opportunities to oppose experiments, recommend alternative methods and question the validity of the research.

I l"-.’or'/d Lab Arr/rna/ l'r/eek. Sun 22—3”: 25? Apr. For t‘ietar/s contact »\latrt)rrar’ Ant/- V/v/sectron Soc/en: 26 x' Gold/rank Road. London. it" i ’3 OPE. 080 88-16 9777.

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Scottish film company fades to black

Producer blames lack of investment

Glasgow-based productron company Antonrne Films has gone down the tubes. The company. set up by 59-year- old producer Paddy Hrgson. who established Scotland‘s trrst rndependent productron outfrt. Black Cat Productions. twenty years ago and produced Peter tvlullan's trlm Orphans. ceased tr‘adrng alter the Glasgow Development Fund pulled rts funding. Wrth twenty new projects rn devel0pment when the plug was pulled. Hrgson has crrtrcrsed Antonrne's sponsors for not Investing long term.

Thrs news comes at a trrne when Scottrsh frlrn talent rs tlourrshrng next Issue The Lrst rs runnrng a New Scottrsh Frlmmakrng specral feature. But without horr‘regrown operatrons such as Antonrne. who wrll charnpron the nation's filmmakers? erles Frelden

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