National
Government seeks alternatives for animals in drug tests
New Delhi, Jan 9 (IANS) The government on Tuesday said it was looking for “alternatives” to lab animals for clinical trial of drugs.
Pointing out that the use of animals was already being debated worldwide, the Union Environment Ministry at a conference here said like stem or cell-culture should be used for experiments instead of animals.
“Across the world in developed countries, they have developed some protocols where animals are no longer needed for laboratory testing… If we are sensitive towards animals, then we have to look into the matter,” Joint Secretary of the Ministry Anil Kumar Jain said at the conference “Welfare of Laboratory Animals”.
The day-long event was organised by the Animal Welfare Division and Committee for the Purpose of Control and Supervision of Experiments on Animals (CPCSEA) — a statutory panel to implement Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The officer sought to form a committee to review technologies as alternate to laboratory animals. “Perhaps there could be a committee to look what is the state of technology in this area across the world. To review the lab practices and to suggest the roadmap for reduction of reduce of animals in labs.
“The point is not to eliminate them… India is such a large producer and exporter of vaccines and stock like that. We have got large firms, blue chip companies doing this that is why state of technology should also be competitive at global scale.”
In India, animals including mouse, rat, hamster, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs and monkeys are used for experiments in laboratory.
Such experiments have to adhere to certain norms like ensuring proper conditions under which animals are kept and the intensity of drugs they are exposed to.
In June 2013, India became first country in South Asia to ban the testing of cosmetics and its ingredients on animals. A year later, India banned import of cosmetics tested on animals.
India now aims to look for alternatives but the road ahead may not be easy, according to experts.
“We can’t eliminate animals from lab testing completely as certain experiments have no alternative and its for the humans,” Subeer Majumdar, Director National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, told IANS. He said the need was to focus on how science and animal welfare can go together. Majumdar was one of the panelists at the conference.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.