Poisons Information Centres exist mainly to provide doctors with information and advice on the hazards and treatment of overdoses arising from drugs or other chemicals - either accidental or intentional:

It is revealing to hear the views of Dr Goulding who established the first National Poisons Information Service (now the Poison Unit) at Guy's Hospital, London and Dr G.N. Voolans who also works at the Poison Unit.

"... while the data from the animal studies required by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines and other regulatory bodies provide some basic information of the mechanism of toxicity and relative toxicity, it cannot be assumed that this information will be entirely relevant for man. Further whilst these studies may give indications as to the appropriate treatment for acute overdosage, they are unlikely to indicate the efficacy of treatment. Experience gained from a careful assessment of patients suffering from acute overdosage of drugs is potentially much more useful than that obtained from animal tests."

In the past few years, there have been several meetings of scientists, toxicologists and representatives from regulatory authorities - designed especially to discuss the LD50 Test. In Brussels later this year there will be another such meeting - bringing together representatives from as many countries as possible. Being discussed will be the inadequacies of this barbaric and brutal procedure. Surely it is time New Zealand emerged from the back ranks and funds a representative to learn first-hand the alternative ideas and procedures that will put the cruel LD50 Test where it belongs - in the best forgotten history books along with the other atrocities of this so-called civilized age.

The NZAVS

has prepared a petition to Parliament asking for a total ban on LD50 testing in New Zealand.

In presenting this Petition it is important to note that in line with NZAVS policy of non-compromise, we make no distinction between medical or non-medical experiments.

The LD50 test

"You're inflicting cruelty, you're inflicting pain, you're wasting your money and you're wasting people's time. There's no point in doing an experiment like that."
- Dr Robert Scheuplein, Chief, Dermal and Ocular Toxicology Branch, Food and Drug Administration, USA (on the LD50 Test)

"The LD50 test is a crude measure of toxicity. There is really little scientific justification for the test because reproducibility is not good, it can even vary from day to day, and the results are dependent on the animal strain used."
- Mr P.S. Rogers, Managing Director, Hazelton Laboratories Europe Ltd, Harrogate, Yorks, England