Singer Will Young hosts panel on animal experiments

Animal Aid was delighted to be asked to take part in a panel discussion at the Labour Party Conference fringe on the 10th October. The invitation came from Will Young, singer, actor and animal advocate. The title of the panel was ‘Non-animal scientific research and testing: Why the UK must lead the way.

The panel was hosted by Will Young and the guests on the panel were Jessamy, Head of Campaigns at Animal Aid, Karl Bygrave, a Director at LUSH, Carol Treasure, founder of XCellR8 laboratories in Cheshire, Jarrod Bailey, Director of Science at Animal  Free Research and Daniel Zeichner MP.

The event was attended by about 70 people and after a discussion of animal experiments and how unreliable they are, the panel spoke about non-animal new approach methodologies (NAMs) and what the future might hold. The audience was then invited to ask questions. These were many and varied and covered testing of medicines, how people could lend their support, the testing of food and how the future could look for science, humans and animals.

Will’s powerful advocacy is highlighting the often-overlooked issue of animal experiments. The panel discussion was an invaluable chance for us to discuss what is possible with some ambition, scientific innovation and the political will to see an end to out-dated and unreliable animal research.