MY - animal research center set up

[Guest guest]

*Time for Malaysian and Indian groups to cooperate on a campaign!*

 

 

Friday, Apr 2, 2010 - 11:08:12

 

KUALA LUMPUR: A RM 450 million deal has been signed between a large Indian

biotechnology company and State government-owned Melaka Biotech...

 

Animal-testing centre to be set up in Malaysia - The Malay Mail

Submitted by amir azree on Friday, April 2nd, 2010

 

- Alor Gajah <http://www.mmail.com.my/category/tags/alor-gajah>

- animal experiment

centre<http://www.mmail.com.my/category/tags/animal-experiment-centre>

- British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection

(Buav)<

http://www.mmail.com.my/category/tags/british-union-abolition-vivisection-buav

>

- Local <http://www.mmail.com.my/category/channel/news/local>

- Malacca <http://www.mmail.com.my/category/tags/malacca>

- SAHABAT Alam Malaysia

(SAM)<http://www.mmail.com.my/category/tags/sahabat-alam-malaysia-sam>

- Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(SPCA)<

http://www.mmail.com.my/category/tags/society-prevention-cruelty-animals-spca

>

- Vivo Bio Tech (M) Sdn

Bhd<http://www.mmail.com.my/category/tags/vivo-bio-tech-m-sdn-bhd>

 

MoU signed to set up full-fledged animal experiment centre in Malacca

 

 

FULLY INTEGRATED: The new multi-million biotechnology centre in Malacca will

feature several animal testing laboratories — Filepic

 

*KUALA LUMPUR: *A RM450 million deal has been signed between a large Indian

biotechnology company and State government-owned Melaka Biotech Holdings Sdn

Bhd this year. The State will soon see three animal-experimentation

laboratories set up in Rembia in Alor Gajah.

 

The primate, small animals and canine-testing laboratories will be part of a

one-stop fully-integrated biotechnology centre for the development, testing

and manufacturing of medicines.

 

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Malacca Biotech,

Indian Biotechnology firm Vivo BioTech Limited and Vanguard Creative

Technologies Sdn Bhd on Jan 21 in India. A joint-venture company, Vivo Bio

Tech (M) Sdn Bhd was set up to facilitate this multi billion ringgit

project, in which India's Vivo BioTech would hold majority equity, followed

by Vanguard Creative and Melaka Biotech.

 

The MoU was inked in New Delhi by representatives of Vivo BioTech and

Vanguard as well as by Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam,

witnessed by Najib.

 

But as yet, no notice or application of permit has been made with the

Peninsular Malaysia Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan)

and the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS).

 

Mohd Ali told *The Malay Mail* that the company was in the process of

submitting building plans for the facilities to the Alor Gajah Municipal

Council.

 

On the unease of animal welfare groups over the use of animals for

experiments, the chief minister gave the assurance the State government

would monitor the situation once the centre is set up and operational.

 

Meanwhile, Vivo Bio Tech (Malaysia) director Datuk Kuna Sittampalam stated

that the proposed fully integrated biotechnology centre was still in its

" early days " as the company has yet to submit building plans to the local

council.

 

" There will be three phases in the construction. Phase one will be the

animal-testing facilities while the second and third phases will encompass

the biotech facilities, " said Sittampalam.

 

He said the company will be importing Beagles from Holland for tests

requiring canines, and most probably white mice for the small animal

laboratory. He wasn’t sure where they will get the primates from, " Most will

be obtained locally, but if we are not allowed, then we will look overseas.

 

" This is a US$50 billion (RM170 billion) industry and Malaysia wants to be a

part of this, " said Sittampalam.

 

Not all tests can be replicated using human tissue culture in place of

animals, he said, and explained that animal-testing is a small segment of

the whole biotechnology process and people must look at the " bigger

picture " .

 

Unfortunately, he added, a biotechnology centre must have testing in order

to be deemed fully-integrated. There must be the full sequence of drug

development, testing and manufacturing, " so the picture is complete " .

 

*Growing protest of welfare groups*

 

*KUALA LUMPUR:* News that a new biotechnology facility equipped with canine,

primate and small animaltesting laboratories would soon be set up in Malacca

has received opposition from local and international animal welfare NGOs who

urge the government to step away from animal experimentation and testing.

 

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) chairman,

Christine Chin said SPCA opposes the construction of any animaltesting

laboratory.

 

" There are so many duplication of tests in many areas, in which scientists

use human tissue or stem cell tissue instead of using animals, " she said,

adding that animal-testing does not even provide complete and accurate data

or results.

 

She feels Malaysia should concentrate on refining testing using human tissue

from stem cell initiatives instead of embarking on controversial businesses

that use animals for tests.

 

" I understand that certain pharmaceutical testing requires animals and we

must accept a certain amount of animal-testing unfortunately. But we must

begin to move towards alternative techniques, " she said.

 

" Malaysia should not open the economy to businesses like this as it promotes

cruelty. " Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Sam) was also disappointed with the news of

the laboratories, stating that no animal-testing in any form should be

allowed in this country.

 

Its president S. M. Mohamed Idris also urged the use of human tissue

cultures in place of " animals specially bred and killed for this purpose " .

 

" They need to assess the justification for using animals in experiments and

carry out a meaningful evaluation on the harm these animals will endure, "

said Idris.

 

He also questioned whether the biotechnology company gave any thought to the

welfare of the animals it was bringing in, such as how they will be housed

and destroyed after the experiments were carried out.

 

" Is there an ethics committee set up to look into this and ensure the

animals do not suffer before and during the experiments? " he asked.

 

UK-based British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (Buav) has also

expressed concern over the news of the planned laboratories.

 

Its special projects director Sarah Kite told *The Malay Mail*: " The

outsourcing of animal-testing to countries where restrictions may be more

lax is a worrying development. This appears to be the case in Malaysia as we

understand there is no legislation governing the use of animals in research

or testing. Even with legislation, however, the suffering that will be

inflicted on the animals used is immoral and unacceptable. "

 

She said Buav was also concerned as to the source of the primates to be used

in tests at this facility, questioning whether the facility will be allowed

to use Malaysia's own indigenous population of long-tailed macaques.

 

" We urge the people of Malaysia to not allow itself to be part of an

industry that inflicts such great pain and suffering on animals, " said Kite.

 

Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Nepal - Netherlands