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HOW DOGS WERE SLICED OPEN, HAD
NEEDLES PUT IN THEM AND WERE GIVEN ELECTRIC SHOCKS TO TEST VIAGRA.
EXCLUSIVE
(Cutting Sunday MirrorOctober 11, 1998,)
HEADLINE: THE TORMENT OF THE BEAGLES; WORLD EXCLUSIVE: HOW DOGS WERE SLICED OPEN, HAD NEEDLES PUT IN THEM AND WERE GIVEN ELECTRIC SHOCKS TO TEST VIAGRA - THEN WERE PUT TO DEATH; BEAGLES USED TO TEST THE EFFECTS OF SEX DRUG VIAGRA Investigation Nick Pisa LIVE beagles have been used for horrific experiments in a British laboratory to test the effects of the sex wonder drug Viagra. The experiments involved stripping the dogs' penises open, inserting a needle inside, and then administering an electric shock.
Details of the tests have been uncovered by the Sunday Mirror and can be revealed for the first time today. They make grim reading. Researchers at the British base of the American-owned pharmaceutical firm Pfizer carried out the tests at their laboratory in Sandwich, Kent.
The diamond-shaped blue pills were released for sale in the US in March by Pfizer. Viagra has already become the fastest-selling drug ever, with sales worth pounds 400million in America alone. But a Sunday Mirror investigation has uncovered how Pfizer not only used beagles for the tests in Kent but also rabbits, rats, mice and monkeys at laboratories in Bristol and Hanover, Germany.
The majority of the animals had their penises removed or cut open to monitor the effects of Viagra - despite clinical trials already being carried out on humans. Beagles were drugged unconscious before being used for the experiments at the biology department of Pfizer's Kent plant because of their docile and friendly nature. After the tests they were put down.
The night before the experiments were carried out, the nine beagles were kept in cages and not fed. Twelve hours later the healthy beagles were given a general anaesthetic before each one had its penis cut open to expose vital muscles. Three researchers and a team of assistants watched as a needle was pushed into the penis muscles to measure blood pressure.
An electrode was attached to a branch of the pelvic nerve and during the experiment a switch was thrown by an assistant which sent 15 volts surging through the dogs for one minute.
Viagra was given to the dogs before they were electronically stimulated by the current, which caused an erection. The scalp needle was used to measure intracavernosal pressure (ICP) or the firmness of the dog's erection. Scientists carried out the two- hour experiments in the second- floor biology department at Pfizer's Central Research last year.
Details of the tests were published in the July edition of the Journal of Urology. Researchers Anthony Carter, Stephen Ballard and Alasdair Naylor are the authors of the article, which describes how the experiments were carried out.
The experiment is titled: "Effect of the selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor Sildenafil on the erectile function in the anaesthetised dog."
Under the title the three men are named, and the report is described as being "from the Discovery Biology Department, Pfizer Central Research, Sandwich, United Kingdom".
The influential journal is published monthly by the well- respected American Urological Association based in Baltimore, Maryland. It is regarded as one of the most authorative sources of urology - the study of reproductive organs - in the world. The report details the effects of tests on beagles using sildenafil, which is now marketed and known throughout the world as Viagra.
Justification for the experiment is explained as "...effects of sildenafil on erectile function in anaesthetised dogs were evaluated", and it goes on to describe the dogs' ordeal. "Male beagles with body weights 12-14kg were deprived of food overnight," says the report. "Animals were anaesthetised with sodium pentobarbital, 30-45mg/kg..." Then it explains how the nerves which cause the dog's penis muscles (corpus cavernosum) to have an erection were connected to an electricity supply. "The cavernosal branch of the pelvic nerve was identified and a small section was dissected free and placed into bipolar stimulating electrodes. "The penis was carefully denuded of skin down to the base, without damaging the prepuce (foreskin) and the left corpus cavernosum was exposed. A 21-gauge scalp needle, attached by flexible catheter to a pressure transducer, was inserted into the corpus cavernosum for the measurement of intracavernosal pressure."
During the operation the beagles' body temperature was kept at 36-38C using an electric blanket. The report then describes how an electric current was used to arouse the dog and give it an erection. It says: "The pelvic nerve was stimulated with a Grass S88 stimulator at 10-15 volts, with a 2 millisecond pulse width, which gave optimum responses, for 1 minute to ensure that pressure increases had reached a plateau over a frequency range of 1-16 hertz." The strength of the electricity was increased to a maximum of 16 hertz which speeded up muscle response to produce a full erection.
The report explains how Vigra was given to the dogs and says: ' "Sildenafil was dissolved in saline and given at doses of 1-100ug/kg, with stimulation starting 15 minutes after dosing." In its conclusion the report states: "In an anaesthetised dog model of erectile function, sildenafil potentiated the increases in ICP induced by pelvic nerve stimulation... "Thus sildenafil augments the normal...mechanism of penile erection and has the potential to be a significant advance in erectile dysfunction treatment."
"This mechanism explains the significant improvements reported in the rigidity and duration of erections seen in patients with erectile dysfunction who have been treated with oral sildenafil." The report, as well as describing the beagle experiments, also describes erectile dysfunction (impotency) and how human sufferers rely on "a range of treatments, such as psychotherapy, self-injection or transurethral application of vasodilator agents, vacuum construction devices, prosthesis implantation and venous/arterial surgery.
In their report the three researchers explain the significance of Viagra for the treatment of impotency. They say: "In early clinical trials sildenafil has significantly improved erectile function in patients with erectile dysfunction." The report describes how rabbits, dogs and monkeys have been used to study Viagra's effects but that "the dog probably offers the best model for the measurement". Professor David Noakes, a leading specialist in canine reproduction and a member of the Royal Veterinary College, was given details of the experiment. He said: "All firms need licences before they can test on animals. These procedures would have to be carefully monitored to make sure Home Office guidelines were being followed."
Last night the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection slammed the experiments as cruel and added that it would be demanding to know why the Home Office allowed the tests to go ahead. BUAV spokeswoman Sarah Kite said: "We are appalled that experiments of this nature are being carried out on beagles. "These beagles have been mutilated in grotesque experiments for a drug which has no life- saving use. "We shall be taking this up with the Government as soon as possible, and want to know why licences were granted for these appalling experiments. "These tests were carried out after Viagra had already undergone human trials.
Pfizer were simply putting these beagles through unnecessary experiements just to test Viagra's effects again. "It flies in the face of Labour's election promise of cutting down the number of needless animal experiments carried out in this country." Prime Minister Tony Blair has already been accused of a U-turn on animal experiments. Animal rights groups say that promises to reduce the number of animal experiments and explore other methods have not been fulfilled. They are incensed that assurances of a Royal Commission to investigate tests on animals has failed to materialise - despite Labour's promises. Last November a voluntary ban on using animals for cosmetic testing was introduced - a decision that will save 300 out of the 2.7 million animals tested each year.
But it does not affect medical and pharmaceutical research, for which the majority of animals are used. A Home Office spokeswoman said: "At this point we see no need for the establishment of a Royal Commission to investigate the use of animals in experiments." Experiments are outlawed on chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans. Testing of offensive military weapons is also outlawed, but tests on developing means of protecting armed forces is permitted. Latest figures from the Home Office reveal that more than 5,700 beagles were used in experiments in 1997 - mostly for human medicine research. Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 there is a rigorous system of control on research using live animals. Two licences are required for scientific work, a project and personal one. A project licence is granted where the Home Secretary considers that the use of living animals is justified and the methods proposed are appropriate. When deciding whether to authorise the project, the likely adverse effects on the animals used must be weighed against the benefit of the experiment. Consideration of using alternative methods and not live animals must also be looked at
. A personal licence is awarded to people over 18 and is the Home Office's endorsement that they are able to carry out specified procedures on animals. Home Office rules also insist that any place where animal experiments are carried out is designated as a scientific procedure establishment. In Britain, Viagra was granted a licence last month, but it is only available on private prescriptions after Health Secretary Frank Dobson ruled it out on the NHS. Because of its limited availability people desperate to take Viagra have bought it on the black market via the Internet - but even they will be shocked at the tests
Last night a Pfizer spokesman said: "The dogs were humanely put down. That is a legal requirement. "We always aim to ensure the highest possible standards of animal welfare in our research. The use of animals in medical research in this country is controlled by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and all Pfizer's work is conducted strictly in accordance with those requirements. In addition to that we ensure that at all times there is veterinary care and advice on hand. "Wherever possible we use alternative methods that don't involve the use of live animals. "We are actively supporting investigations into means of reducing the number of animals used in experiments and wherever there is a replacement technique we opt for that. "But in some cases you still have to use animals to be able to get a product licence. We simply had no alternative
"In this particular experiment the animals are fully anaesthetised and are kept under anaesthetic. They do not feel anything. "The dog model has been identified as the most successful in terms of understanding the potential effects of this compound in mankind. These particular experiments could not have been carried out on humans. They were necessary and the Home Office agreed. "The fact that it (Viagra) had already been administered to humans and the fact that this experiment was necessary are not illogical or incompatible. "We know that certain doses can be put into man but we need to test high doses to look at the side-effects profile. I promise you that this experiment was absolutely necessary."
THE CASE FOR...'ANIMAL RESEARCH IS VITAL' DOCTOR
Jane Pearse works at a beagle breeders in the north of England. "Dogs are used for medical research which has been invaluable in improving the health of the nation," she says. "The Home Office require that such breeders operate under some of the most stringent animal welfare controls in the world. Animals used for research receive the care a patient would expect in hospital. "The animal has to be cared for every day of its life, its accommodation has to be heated and maintained in a meticulous state. It has to be fed the best -quality food, receive veterinary attention and be provided with a supply of toys. You will understand that the breeding of laboratory dogs is an expensive activity. "Animal research has been vital in the developments of safer surgery, organ transplants and medicines for high blood pressure, ulcers and migraine."
THE CASE AGAINST...'NO LIVES WILL BE SAVED' VET and zoo inspector John Gripper was shocked at the Viagra tests. "No dog is going to take Viagra, so why test it on a dog?" he said. "Viagra is not a life-saving drug and it seems to me that this experiment was not terribly necessary. I would have thought Pfizer could quite easily have found 200 willing students to test Viagra on
. "From what I understand genuine medical testing on animals is justified to a certain degree, especially with life-saving drugs, but as Viagra is not a life saving drug I can't see the reason for this experiment. "I don't understand quite what the justification was." They are used for tests because they're small, friendly and love humans BEAGLES are used in experiments because of their friendly docile nature. Many firms who carry out tests on the dogs breed them on site or they are bought in from specialist farms, costing up to pounds 700 each.
Sarah Kite, of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, said: "Beagles have become the laboratory's favourite tool. "They are very small docile animals who by their nature are also very sociable and like to be around humans. It is because of a simple fact like this that they are used. "For instance can you imagine trying to feed something to a German Shepherd or test something out on a dog like that? "Beagles are very obliging animals and not aggressive at all - they are the ideal lab animal." Beagles were once used to test the effects of smoking but that has now been outlawed after pictures like the one above were published.
DEADLY EXPERIMENTS: The Pfizer laboratory in Kent;; VICTIM: A white rabbit;; VICTIM: A monkey;; THE EVIDENCE: Researchers Anthony Carter, Stephen Ballard and Alasdair; Naylor published their experiments in The Journal Of Urology; VICTIM: A tiny mouse LOAD-DATE: October 12, 1998
The Mirror November 16, 1998, Monday
THE MILLIONS THAT SUFFER FOR SCIENCE BODY: MICE, rats, rabbits and guinea pigs make up 87 per cent of animals used in experiments, say Home Office figures. MICE: 1,501,956, most in biological, medical, dental and veterinary research; 296,000 to test toxicity of pharmaceuticals and food. RATS: 688,845, mainly for same kind of research as mice. GUINEAPIGS: 103,725, most in human medical and dental research. RABBITS: 53,631, most in medicine or dental, 33,000 toxicity. DOGS: 5,860. GRAPHIC: DOGS: Beagles were used widely in smoking tests //cutting ends
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