It is good to hear the six men in intensive care after participating in trials of drugs produced by the German firm Parexel are recovering well, but their horrific reaction to the drugs they were testing is further confirmation that animal testing is out of date.
The German company claims the drugs were thoroughly tested in laboratory animals for four to six years beforehand. However, it is possible the drugs could only affect humans in this way and not animals.
Apparently, there are more than 100,000 volunteers a year for tests of this kind and they receive from £100-£150 per day.
There is obviously no shortage of such volunteers, who have a mind of their own and so can decide whether or not to take part.
Laboratory animals have no such choice. This is probably why boxing is still popular but bear-baiting is not, thank God.
-Susan Jean Osmond, Woodingdean
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