‭‘‬Ambassador against animal tests‭' ‬sent packing
‭‘‬Ambassador against animal tests‭' ‬sent packing
Professor Thomas Hartung, head of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Test Methods (ECVAM) appears to have been shown the door. SP Euro-MP Kartika Liotard is calling on the European Commission “to either give some clarification on this or speak out against it.”
Dr. Hartung is well known in the world of industry, science and animal welfare as a renowned scientist. “The news of the sacking of such a dedicated scientist came as a shock to me,” said Liotard. “His institute meant a great deal to those who want to see animal experiments reduced or eliminated. Together with my Swedish colleague Jens Holm I am sending an an open letter to the European Commission demanding clarification of this matter.” The open letter from Liotard and Holm, both members of the European United Left-Nordic Green Left (GUE-NGL), will also be signed by Euro-MPs from the Greens as well as the European Parliament's two biggest groups, the Christian Democratic EPP and Social Democratic PES.
Dr. Hartung achieved results with his institute which became known the world over. ECVAM has won several prizes for its work, including in 2006 the US Society of Toxicology Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award. Hartung also ran his institute at a profit, earning the costs of his validation work many times over. “If Thomas Hartung has been fired it would be in complete conflict with the promises of a European effort to find and propagate alternatives to animal testing,” Liotard said. “The number of animals which are killed and harmed annually in the EU in tests on cosmetics, for example, continues to grow.”