Congress Brings NZ Science Into Disrepute

MEDIA RELEASE

26 June 2001 For Immediate Release

CONGRESS BRINGS NZ SCIENCE INTO DISREPUTE

The International Union of Physiological Sciences Congress in Christchurch in late August is a step backwards for New Zealand's scientific reputation according to the New Zealand Anti-Vivisection Society.

The Congress features "distinguished lecturers" such as Michael Stryker from the USA who drills holes into kittens' skulls in "sleep deprivation" experiments.1

"Animal experimentation has been a hindrance to physiological and medical science", says Phil Clayton, National Secretary of the NZ Anti-Vivisection Society.

"Great strides are being made overseas towards the abolition of animals in medical research. Italian pathologist, Professor Croce's anti-vivisection book, 'Vivisection or Science?', received a positive review in the British Medical Journal earlier this year"2, he said, "Medical scientists throughout history have denounced vivisection for physiology research purposes as unnecessary, a waste of time, and as a method that perpetuates error."3

The NZ Anti-Vivisection Society is expecting Christchurch to provide a hostile reception for Congress attendees and organisers. The Society is distributing literature outlining the horrors and fraud of some of the Congress attendees' research and has major protests planned for the period surrounding the Congress.

The Society is also sending a warning to local body politicians. "Any City Councillor or candidate that expresses approval of this conference, attended by unscientific animal torturers, will have a hard time getting elected later this year", said Mr Clayton.

For further information or comment contact: Phil Clayton National Secretary, NZ Anti-Vivisection Society (Inc.) Phone: (03) 379-0093

References: 1. From Stryker's approved protocol, "The Role of Sleep in Developmental Plasticity in Visual Cortex." CAR approval number: A1160-14344-02A. [CAR: Committee on Animal Research, Office of Research Administration, Box 0962, University of California, San Francisco.], 1997 2. BMJ 2001;322:115 (15 Jan) 3. eg Sir Charles Bell & Dr Stephen Townsend cited in Ruesch, "1000 Doctors (and many more) Against Vivisection". Full refs avail NZAVS.

NZ Anti-Vivisection Society (Inc.) National Secretary http://www.nzavs.org.nz Phil Clayton PO Box 9387 phil@ch.planet.gen.nz Christchurch New Zealand

ANIMAL RESEARCH T A K E S LIVES - Humans and Animals BOTH Suffer Read this book on-line at: http://www.health.org.nz

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