Madam, - Readers opposed to animal abuse will have been heartened to know of Niamh Tuite's successful attempt "to develop a toxicity testing system based on the use of human kidney cells as an alternative to laboratory animal toxicity testing" (Science Today, May 6th). So, congratulations and thanks to Niamh and to her supervisor, Prof Michael Ryan. Congratulations also to the UK-based Dr Hadwen Trust and to our own Health Research Board, which jointly funded the research.
However, not mentioned in Dick Ahlstrom's report was the Irish Anti-Vivisection Society (IAVS) which brought Geoffrey Thomas (spokesperson of the Dr Hadwen Trust) to Ireland, facilitated his dialogue with the HRB and so brought about the joint funding of Niamh's research.
Not one of the animals used annually in Irish laboratories - more than 50,000 - has given its consent, and wouldn't (we suspect) if it could. It is shameful that funding for the development of research and testing not using animals has to come from voluntary organisations such as the Dr Hadwen Trust, whose funds are minuscule compared with those of the large pharmaceutical companies involved in vivisection.
The IAVS therefore calls upon the Government to withhold, or at least phase out, funding for animal-based research and to fund instead, as a matter of urgency, the development of non-animal alternatives. - Yours, etc.,
RUARC GAHAN, Knocknaboley, Co Wicklow.