Table on alternative methods, the researchers write to the Minister of ... - Quotidiano.net

Rome, January 11, 2014 – Open Letter to the Minister of Health, Beatrice Lorenzin by doctors Nastrucci, Penco, Tettamanti, or scholars who take part in the table on alternative methods inaugurated by the former head of the Ministry, Balduzzi. .

With a premise: the table on alternatives to animal experiments had as its purpose:
“ Giving impetus to the promotion, dissemination and development of alternative methods to animal testing for the purpose of phasing out the use of animals for scientific purposes until complete replacement “(spokesman of the Ministry of Health to interview April 12, 2013)
So continues the open letter of researchers:

. The table still has no goals objectives and functions and no value in the use of institutional funds in biomedical research in Italy or to examine data, projects etc on animal testing in order to identify suitable methods or strategies for replacement.

2. At the table on alternatives to animal testing members chosen by the ministry are experts in animal testing, private foundations linked to the pharmaceutical industry as the Mario Negri Institute and the performing, Farmindustria, AIFA, RTC, researchers who use ISS primates, were not chosen instead experts on alternatives in the institutions of government that they still exist , organizers of university courses in various Italian universities that although few are striving for scientific information, bioengineers, biologists molecular, cellular models 3D developers, experts in robotics and bioinformatics for the use of mannequins for teaching electronic or computerized simulations of organs reconstructed with data relating to the human species and doctors involved in information on the damage of animal experimentation on patients, etc. . which, however, also exist in Italy. ..
All this and more ‘has been ignored, despite the 3 researchers and scientists Nastrucci, Tettamanti and Penco having prepared for the Ministry a dossier of 38 pages with state of the art alternatives to animal testing, which was pooled with the other members of the board, and that we had to publish after the start of the ministry ever received. Although we have come to a joint document brief and shared, after appropriate modifications, also by 3 researchers pro-alternatives that were exposed to the advancement of research useful and accurate and that gives benefits to human health . Nevertheless, ‘ a ministerial table that could be useful for the progress of Italy in science and biomedical research, was stopped and he was not given any value of formal consultation in order to advance in the field Alternatives replacement in Italy. Virtually remained just a name with no value or practical role.

3. The alternatives to animal experiments are an integral part of the research , and the members chosen by citizens who do not approve of animal testing but that support the advancement and use of alternatives to animal testing, should at least be added to the Commission National Institute for Health Research of the Ministry of Health and the new Board of Medicine ‘appointed by the Minister Lorenzin and valid for 3 years and where, for example, is a member of Dr. Silvio Garattini (Director in the life of ‘Mario Negri Institute and practice that actively supports animal testing) and no one who is really in favor of alternatives.

After the foregoing asks the following: :
A) The short document shared among the members of the table is made public and can be authorized for use in the dossier on alternatives written by Nastrucci, Tettamanti and Penco.

B) Let them institutional tasks assigned to the table , decision-making powers to bring research funds in the alternatives and suggest research projects with a value of advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of Replacement Alternatives in Italy.

C) Let them removed from the table on alternatives all experts on animal experimentation and replaced with experts on alternative replacement. The debate should focus on alternative substitutes, as was the purpose of the table, and not on perimentazione animal. Experts from abroad who are allowed to ad hoc seminars to inform the Ministry of Health on alternative replacement to animal testing in other countries, and encouraged to bring their experience on projects and funding to be taken as a model for advance the field in Italy.

D) The table must become a Commission of Experts on alternatives with institutional tasks and who has decision-making powers, especially on funding for research and actual usefulness of the research projects that wish to state funding and to indicate areas where research on alternative substitutes requires special attention and then research funding (see for example the German state model of the Virtual Liver Network funded by their government for 43 million euros).

) You ask the Ministry of reveal the criteria for selecting participants chosen by the Ministry at the table on alternatives and officially make a report of all the members called by them at the table on alternatives to remove any member with a conflict of interest and not experienced any member of alternatives and not to admit to the table even as “auditor” individuals with any interest in the continuation of animal experimentation.

F) Read European and international require that the medicines, before you start a process of experimentation on human beings
in the “Clinical Trials” mandatory are tested on animals, then AIFA ask you to specify on labels which drugs have been tested on animals is unnecessary, however we ask that you specify on the labels of medicines the species of animals used and the number of animals used in animal testing, and the number of human beings is both healthy and sick people used to develop and test the safety of a drug and then placed on the market. This transparency possible to verify the number of animals used by the industry and the species of animals used for each drug placed on the market and identify pharmaceutical companies with an effective “policy” to reduce the number of animals used in animal testing, objective, therefore, indicated by the European standards including 63/2010/EU and which has as its “ultimate goal obtain the full replacement (” full replacement “) of procedures on live animals” .

Still

this information is not available because the only information available on the number and species of animals used for experimentation in Italy are published in the Official Gazette every 2 or 3 years and do not report information on users or purposes (for example, which drug and which industry). Also add the appropriate test ersatz used on the labels (for example, those validated by ECVAM or those developed by industry) may also be specified in order to identify the pharmaceutical companies’ more ‘virtuous’ and allow the people a choice with “conscience” . Such a step would allow a real progress towards the development and use of alternative methods to animal testing replacements, with an evolution similar to the steps taken in the cosmetics and with large investments in the sector by industry to adapt to consumer demands. It would also be in line with the aims of the Directive 63/2010/EU that “seeks to facilitate and promote the advancement of alternative approaches.”

G) We ask all this in the short term given the urgency of advancing the research in Italy with methods that are useful and specific to finding cures for human diseases that plague the country and require long term investments is to advance research on alterative replacement of animal testing and is to the health of patients suffering from diseases more and more ‘complex and multifactorial as to require the use of methods and technologies more and more’ advanced equindi investment in research for human health>.

faith,
Nastrucci (thealternatives.eu), Penco (larf, University of Genoa) and Tettamanti (I-CARE).
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