Science, medical progress, animals and YOU

Dear reader,

I am concerned about what is happening in Montreal with pharmaceuticals and their R&D centers. Aren't you?

The latest announcement came from Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) in Laval - 170 jobs lost at their Virology research facility, a well known center of excellence with a focus on translational research.

The 36$million investment was discribed as follows by BI in 2008 at the time of opening

(source http://www.newswire.ca/fr/story/284091/boehringer-ingelheim-completes-36-million-investment-in-laval-for-state-of-the-art-research-centre) :

"On behalf of Boehringer Ingelheim, I am proud to be in Laval to mark this historic day within the company as we celebrate this new expansion project," said Christian Boehringer, Chairman of the Shareholders Committee Boehringer Ingelheim.
"The Laval facility has contributed to scientificdiscovery in the area of virology that may not only help patients in Canada,but around the world. This site is expected to make an even greater contribution to the translation of scientific discoveries into drugs which help patients. And that is what Boehringer Ingelheim stands for, research into health areas of unmet need."
As one of the four principal research centers for Boehringer Ingelheim worldwide, the Laval facility focuses on the discovery of new treatments for Hepatitis C and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, which causes AIDS)infection, diseases for which either no vaccine exists or current therapy is unsatisfactory. The new laboratories will allow Boehringer Ingelheim to continue to contribute to and complement its existing product portfolio, which includes HIV treatments VIRAMUNE(R) and APTIVUS(R).

Neither of the diseases mentioned have been cured as far as I know and the quality of the research nor the researchers are at cause for the announced 2013 closure.

So what is happening in the pharmaceutical world? Is research being delocated? Is there no more translational research taking place in Montreal, or is the industry increasingly being prevented from bringing in crucial research animals such as non human primates? In the United Kingdom because of animal rights actions, the situation has deteriorated to such a point that there's no UK based carrier available to transport research animals such as non human primates into the country. Non human primates are critical research models used in the search for cures against both deseases (Hep C and HIV).

I think it is time for the general public to better understand how animal research is linked to medical progress and why we need to have research centers in Montreal, Québec and abroad if we want to continue to be important players in the search for cures and medical advancement.

An initial piece of information can be found here http://www.pro-test.org.uk/MAAR.pdf

and for us in Canada here: http://www.chrcrm.org/en/importance-animals-research

What can you do to help?

1/Stand by the pharmaceutical and airline industry and voice your support through associations such as AALAS – American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (www.aalas.org), CALAS—Canadian Association for Laboratory Animal Science (www.calas-acsal.org) ICLAS – International Council for Laboratory Animal Science (www.iclas.org) and other scientific and professional organizations that advocate for both biomedical research and laboratory animal welfare. Ensure that the issue of protecting humane research animal transportation is on their agendas.

2/Ensure that your elected officials appreciate the importance of research centers and animal research. Ask them to look into the problems of delocating research and the declining pool of available airlines for the continued transport of research animals.

3/Inform others as to the humane and judicious nature of animal research, and why it is still needed. Underscore its achievements and the medical progress to which it has contributed. Information and links to resources to get you started are available from Speaking of Research site, and on my Advancing Animal Research blog at http://research4drugdiscovery.blogspot.ca/

Making our world a better place through research

If you were to visit the web page of the Tulane National Primate Research Center you would see this (title) statement right at the top. A bit further down one can find the resources the center maintains and more specifically the nonhuman primates required in research. The management of the nonhuman primates is done by the veterinary medicine division. There are nine species in the center which totals to approximatively five thousand nonhuman primates to take care of.  The nonhuman primates are used in research towards finding a vaccine, cure or treatment to diseases such as for example AIDS/HIV, Leukemia or Malaria to name a few.

The above is just one example of a research center using nonhuman primates. Actually as a research model, nonhuman primates are also used in other areas of scientific research. Take a look at this page and follow the links. 

On the other hand some find macaques to be a nuisance and would rather eradicate them from their ecosystems since they are an invasive species.  Take a look at page seven of this report (attached) dated March 14-15, 2012. Here's an excerpt:

Feasibility Study for Macaque Monkey Eradication Project Successfully Complete

With funding from the CEPF, Invasive Species International conducted a feasibility study in Palau in September-October 2011, to assess the feasibility of complete removal of invasive macaque monkeys from Palau, especially the heavily infested island of Anguar. The study concluded that eradication will be possible, but that it will be difficult and expensive.

The study report estimates that it will take 3-4 years to complete the eradication, at a cost of 1.5 to 2 million dollars. Source: here.

So between those that need the resource, those that are challenged when transporting them and those that want to get rid of macaques, a balanced approach is needed. If at all feasible, why not use these macaques for research instead of the proposed eradication? In addition they could also be used for repopulating areas where the species are endemic but deemed vulnerable or endangered. Perhaps my contacts in the zoo and aquarium world are interested in helping out, who knows? That would make the world a better place through research and conservation.

  

A world apart

Sometimes taking a step backwards is necessary. Looking at what is happening in animal research I have said it before, is fascinating. One such institution involved in animal research in the US is the Washington National Primate research Center. It does research on AIDS and related diseases, Non human primates systems biology, neuroscience, evolutionary emergence of infectious diseases and more.

Take a look at their  web pages:

Washington National Primate Research Center

Not all of us fully understand the use of non human primates in research but looking at the various articles and the fields the researchers are involved in, sheds light on what it is they are trying to achieve and how research improves human health. Of course science is not providing an immediate answer to what are complex questions but instead it tries to unravel bits and pieces, the answers of which together in a collaborative effort over time lead to the understanding of mechanisms and processes that affect humans and animals alike.

When in the eighties people started to die from an unknown disease later called AIDS and caused by the human immunodefeciency virus, there were more questions than there were answers. Many died of the disease, whereas now when treated that is, they no longer do.  It is easy to in a few paragraphs jump from where we were to where we are at now. Nevertheless it took many scientists, a lot of money, time and work to answer such questions as the causes of AIDS, symptoms, infection, diagnosis and treatment.  And Yes animals were used to find answers. If you were involved in this research you as a member of this community would have had to live with the pressures of understanding the disease, finding treatments and establishing pathways to potential cures such as through vaccines, whilst being asked to reduce the amount of animals used in research. I take my hat off to you. For more information on primate use in research, you can go to
Macaque


For us members of the general public, it is therefore important to make the link between animal research and the process that leads to drug discovery and the bringing to market of  drugs.
This site gives you an excellent overview of the drug development process.
The drug development process

And then there are people like this that are a world apart. I will let you make your own opinion.

south Florida smash hls  or this negotiation is over and airsouffrance or BUAV cargo cruelty campaign

Mine is made. My vote goes to research!