Letter / Petition recipient(s):

Australian Leaders: Initially, The Honourable Ian Macfarlane MP, Minister for Industry and Science; then passed on to other Australian Leaders where possible, e.g. Federal Ministers, State Premiers, The Governor General, Chief Scientist.

Letter / Petition aspirations for change:

To respect, acknowledge and afford, the public, the researcher and the research organisation, the opportunity of choice to be able to support and partake in medical research that purposely advocates and chooses not to engage in animal experimentation.

Letter / Petition request:

The public, the researcher and the research organisation, in pursuit of animal free medical research, needs assurance on three levels: Firstly, to see authority protecting equal opportunity to the full extent; secondly, to see those parties being intolerant and abusive being reprimanded and thirdly, to see government demonstrate its support for equal opportunity by providing investments to enable aspirations for opportunity of choice to exist, in context of this petition. 

As such, Lighthouse Laboratories and the people signing this petition cordially invite the government to help enable the development of Australia’s first animal free medical research institute. Please see our pledge campaign at https://ozcrowd.com/campaigns/lighthouse ;  

Letter / Petition rationale: 

https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/nh167_funding_facts_book_2013.pdf

The annual medical research budget from government is circa 850 million dollars per annum. If the government body, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), were to permit and enable animal free medical research with 1 % of their annual medical research budget (circa 8.5.million dollars), it would demonstrate equal opportunity on the basis of inclusion. Much in the same way that ethnic minorities, gay tolerance, gender equality and disability inclusion is valued and in turn supported by government.

In addition to a request for support based on equal opportunity enabled, this request is also supported by the rationale that the animal free model, being developed by Lighthouse Laboratories, has synergy with all government priority actions:

• The first example is that Lighthouse Laboratories would be working as an industry partner with government to jointly maximise the benefits to Australia’s health and prosperity.
• As an industry partner with government Lighthouse Laboratories would be facilitating systems biology technology transfer (e.g. education, training workshops and conference); in particular, translational research employing OMIC technology; notably, in order to fast track discovery from bench research to the bedside for the benefit of Australians and the world community.
• This OMIC technology current, coupled to further refinements and development, in line with the animal free research model, also represents an example for raising the bar in context of research integrity and ethics; i.e. it goes beyond and exemplifies government aspiration for the refinement, replacement and reduction (3RRR’s) in context of the use of animals in medical research.
• Cancer research is a priority theme of government and Lighthouse Laboratories. With time and growth Lighthouse will likely align itself with other health priorities of government; however, Lighthouse also hopes to enable a platform of opportunity for self-funded ailment organisations that would not otherwise have a platform opportunity.

BACKGROUND

In summary / lay:

Irrespective of the scientific and ethical debate for and against the use of animals in medical research, the public, the researcher and the research organisation, should not be denied choice or discriminated against, for supporting or pursuing a choice for medical research that does not use animals. Anything less would be a contradiction of the equal opportunity message for inclusion and tolerance.

Unfortunately, it would appear that government has aligned itself with one side of the debate and in turn has invested heavily in research at public institutes that uses animals for medical research. In many respects this represents a conflict of interest; notably when government also holds an authoritative position, which could be abused.

Lighthouse Laboratories is one medical research body that has experienced abuse from public research institutes and authority because of its policy not to use animals in medical research. Notably, because of fears that Lighthouse will draw public attention to the issue and also because of a perceived threat that Lighthouse will polarize researchers and research support from the public.

 In detail:

Australia is a democracy that values and upholds equal opportunity. This message advocates inclusion. In context of this petition, it also suggests inclusion and tolerance with regard to the opportunity of choice. 

On the issue of animal experimentation in medical research, it would not be unreasonable to hope that Australians in position of authority do not portray or conduct themselves in a manner that is an act of or, suggestive of, discrimination, prejudice, exclusion or other, with regard to the 'opportunity of choice' being denied, whether that be based on scientific or ethical rationale /argument, competitive gain and control, opinion or other.

It would appear that current government sanctioned ethical guidelines for the use of animals in experimentation, are ambiguous; as such, these guidelines do not confer assurance or sincerity in a complete sense. Additionally, it seems disrespectful to the public and the researcher that such guidelines self-assume responsibility in a misleading inference of authority and regulation; notably, when there is suggestive intent to deny the public that option of responsibility by keeping the issue out of sight and out of mind; in particular, when activity is somewhat shrouded in secrecy and activity reported appears inaccurate and obscured.

Democracy works on the mechanism of vote; as such, democracy needs choices to be able to vote one way or another. Jousting efforts from competing parties seeking votes, by way of swaying public opinion, should not be in a position to deny the existence of their competition. However, in the context of this petition it would appear that one jousting party (authority) is denying competition by their very means of authority and by their one sided rationale in terms of strategic priority, policy, scientific argument and self-assumed ethical responsibility (which appears to be shrugged by means of their very own guidelines).

The Australian public should be trusted and respected with the responsibility that affords them the opportunity of choice to enable them to choose which method of research they may wish to support or partake in with regard to animal experiments; notably, without fear of discrimination and prejudice, without denial or exclusion, irrespective of the scientific and ethical debate.

This model presented herein by way of petition is for change that will render the current model and position on this issue, obsolete and superseded by way of a new policy and thinking of shared responsibility.

This petition represents an indication of public opinion and a collective aspiration. I hope persons in authority will not ignore this petition and nor fail to act in a manner that is in keeping to respectfully and justly uphold the Australian value of equal opportunity and inclusive representation, notably with regard to the issue raised in this petition.

Yours faithfully

The people signing this petition