Feb 11, 2022, 00:49 am
(This post was last modified: Feb 11, 2022, 00:49 am by Resurgence. Edited 1 time in total.)
Switzerland votes on Sunday (Feb 13) whether to become the first country to completely ban medical testing on animals, after animal rights campaigners gathered enough support to stage a referendum in the country, which hosts a huge pharmaceuticals sector.
More than 550,000 animals died in laboratory tests in 2020 in Switzerland, according to government statistics. The figure includes 400,000 mice and rats, nearly 4,600 dogs, 1,500 cats and 1,600 horses. Primates, cows, pigs, fish and birds were also killed during and after experiments.
"It's cruel and unnecessary to experiment on animals and I am certain we can develop medicines without it," said Renato Werndli, a doctor from northeast Switzerland who launched the initiative under the Swiss system of direct democracy.
The result of the referendum will be binding.
"We should not exploit animals for our own selfish ends," Werndli said, adding research methods such as biochips - tiny chips that host large numbers of biochemical reactions - computer simulations or microdosing of humans were more effective than animal testing.
Werndli said the campaign had raised awareness about the plight of lab animals, and remained hopeful of success.
"I hope we can eventually change and Switzerland can be a positive example to the rest of the world to help stop animal suffering," he said.
Dr. Renato Werndli, Co-President of the Animal Experiment Initiative Committee is seen during an interview at his office in Eichberg, Switzerland, February 8, 2022.
![[Image: 6VxrTWWh_o.jpg]](https://images2.imgbox.com/61/19/6VxrTWWh_o.jpg)
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europ...al-testing
More than 550,000 animals died in laboratory tests in 2020 in Switzerland, according to government statistics. The figure includes 400,000 mice and rats, nearly 4,600 dogs, 1,500 cats and 1,600 horses. Primates, cows, pigs, fish and birds were also killed during and after experiments.
"It's cruel and unnecessary to experiment on animals and I am certain we can develop medicines without it," said Renato Werndli, a doctor from northeast Switzerland who launched the initiative under the Swiss system of direct democracy.
The result of the referendum will be binding.
"We should not exploit animals for our own selfish ends," Werndli said, adding research methods such as biochips - tiny chips that host large numbers of biochemical reactions - computer simulations or microdosing of humans were more effective than animal testing.
Werndli said the campaign had raised awareness about the plight of lab animals, and remained hopeful of success.
"I hope we can eventually change and Switzerland can be a positive example to the rest of the world to help stop animal suffering," he said.
Dr. Renato Werndli, Co-President of the Animal Experiment Initiative Committee is seen during an interview at his office in Eichberg, Switzerland, February 8, 2022.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europ...al-testing