The government of India would soon allow animal tests to be carried out without unreasonable or undue restriction that had so long been meted out to the science research community by the Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA). Biomedical researchers and the pharma industry are breathing a sigh of relief with the present committee being dissolved and are looking forward to the constitution of a new committee.

Research labs in Bangalore particularly the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), National Centre for Biological Sciences and JN Centre for Advanced Research have faced the wrath of animal activists as research has been delayed with more time spent on official communication related to the maintenance of the animal houses.

Take the case of Vittal Mallya Scientific Research Foundation, which initially made very good progress in developing anti-snake venom (ASV) in sheep as a safer alternative to horse ASV. The project had been abandoned and the Foundation switched over to chicken with the hope that birds may not come under the strict purview of CPCSEA. In fact, this painless approach made the animal activists happy! , Dr. PV Subba Rao, scientific director and CEO, Vittal Mallya Scientific Research Foundation, told Pharmabiz.com.

"Till five years ago, I could carry out animal experiments without any constraints or fear. Many of the experiments I did with laboratory and dairy animals in 70s and 80s, while working at IISc that led to development of useful diagnostic and therapeutic products, would not have been possible under the prevailing conditions. While I welcome the need to impose civilized regulations in the maintenance and experimentation of laboratory animals, dictating how a scientist should perform his experiments and be at the mercy of some unqualified animal activists who are ignorant of science is alarming. It is shocking that this is happening as we advanced into the 21st century in this civilized world," informed Dr.Rao.

According to Prof. G Padmanabhan, former director of the Indian Institute of Science, science research cannot progress without tests being conducted on animals. It has not been possible to do any meaningful animal experimentation. "Barriers in immunology research are leading to another danger of research in the country that will not result in products," he added.

While Dr. SK Basu, director, National Institute of Immunology said, "Delay in drug trials means drugs are released late in the market which will add to development costs and rising drug prices.

Reacting to queries, Dr. Rao, said, "A handful of people with muscle power could only take the country, which is effectively competing with the Western world, backward in biotechnology, drug discovery and healthcare."

He added that they have succeeded in killing the enthusiasm of a large number of dedicated scientists with original ideas. Like many scientists, I at this advanced age would not like to be hauled up and put in jail for carrying out some experiments that benefit mankind. In the name of saving some horses and dogs these activists succeeded in causing scarcity of life saving vaccines, particularly for rabies and snakebite, indirectly contributing their might to reduce the population though to an insignificant extent.

Immunology results can only be mimicked with animal experiments, as human beings cannot be experimented directly, said Dr. Basu. "We had not been possible for his team to do any meaningful animal experimentation all these years."

There is a central committee, which reserves the right to permit import of any animals. Most of the immunology research is conducted on transgenic animals that have to be imported. The average time needed to import animals in India is a year. "For Indian scientists based in the US, it only takes two months to complete the experiments, pointed out Dr. Basu on a note of frustration and attributed delays in research findings the only reason for scientific-brain drain in the country.

Thanks to the champions of animals, as the date of implementation of GATT agreement is fast approaching, we may have to spend a good chunk of our earnings in buying life saving drugs that may have to be imported at exorbitant cost. While Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of a Nation in which a woman could safely walk on the streets in the night we are soon approaching a day when even for a man it is not safe to walk on the streets taken over by rabid stray dogs! I pray God that these creatures should at least spare their champions!, averred Dr.Rao.