Wickham Laboratories
Encyclopedia
Wickham Laboratories is a contract analytical testing laboratory that supports Food, Healthcare, Medical Device, and Flood disaster recovery industries. Located in Hampshire
, England
, it was founded in 1965 and remains an independent company.
On 30th November 2010, Wickham Laboratories welcomed the report from the Home Office into issues raised, following an infiltration by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
(BUAV). The Home Office said “the licence authorities granted to individuals at Wickham laboratories under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were legitimately requested and appropriately assessed”. Allegations in 2009 made by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). were disproved by the Home Office. “K. Allegations were made that inexperienced staff were practising injections on live mice; this allegation was not substantiated” (p6).. The was report published on 30th November 2010 following a year long investigation and report.
, Hampshire
in 1954. As the business grew, he developed facilities, diagnostics and animal care techniques, along with founding another six branches, an animal hospital was also constructed. A laboratory facility was developed in order to improve treatment to animals .
In 1965, Wickham Laboratories was incorporated as a separate company to provide contract testing services on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, doctors, farmers, and animal-feed manufacturers which included microbiology and chemistry testing. Mr Cartmell remains the company's Managing Director, and is the veterinarian responsible for carrying out the inspections of the Toxicology lab that are required under British law as well as for the animals welfare.
and one other activist from the Animal Liberation Front
(ALF) broke into Wickham Laboratories on December 13, 2003, and stole 695 mice that were being used to test Dysport, made from botulinum toxin
. This medicine is licensed in the UK to treat serious illnesses such as cerebral palsy. Symptoms of other illnesses the medicine treats include eye muscle contractions whereby a person cannot open their eyes, or suffering through chronic facial twitches and muscle spasms which can mean the inability to walk or move properly. Animals are used for research of this medicine where there is no alternative method. Similar products are used in cosmetic surgery clinics to erase frown lines and are tested outside of the UK because it has been illegal to use animals to test for cosmetic purposes in the UK since 1998. Mann was arrested at his home and the mice were returned to the laboratory. He argued in court that the tests carried out by Wickham Laboratories were illegal because the product was being tested for cosmetic purposes, which is banned in Britain. The court rejected his defence, and found that the tests complied with British regulations because Dysport that was being tested is used for therapeutic purposes only. After the verdict of 230 hours of community service with no jail time was read in court, Mann made threatening remarks, Court was quickly reconvened, and Mann was sentenced to 6 months in jail for contempt of court
; the judge, who called Mann "dangerous and fanatical", stated that "I will not have people leaving my court saying that sort of thing" and noted that Mann's actions "bore all the hallmarks of terrorism". Melvyn Glintenkamp was given 170 hours of community service for aiding and abetting Mann by allowing him to keep the stolen mice in a caravan at his home.
published details in November 2009 of an eight-month undercover infiltration investigation conducted by the BUAV. Following the report, the Home Office said, “171. Licence and Certificate authorities to permit work under ASPA 1986 were, and are, in place at Wickham Laboratories...172. The authorities granted by the Home Office under ASPA were issued legitimately and with appropriate reference to current requirements for authorised medicinal products” The home office ministerial statement said: “the majority of concerns raised by the BUAV in their report have not been substantiated”.
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, it was founded in 1965 and remains an independent company.
On 30th November 2010, Wickham Laboratories welcomed the report from the Home Office into issues raised, following an infiltration by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection is a British animal protection and advocacy group that campaigns for the abolition of all animal experiments...
(BUAV). The Home Office said “the licence authorities granted to individuals at Wickham laboratories under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 were legitimately requested and appropriately assessed”. Allegations in 2009 made by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). were disproved by the Home Office. “K. Allegations were made that inexperienced staff were practising injections on live mice; this allegation was not substantiated” (p6).. The was report published on 30th November 2010 following a year long investigation and report.
History
The company was founded by veterinarian, William B. Cartmell, who established a veterinary practise at Wickham, FarehamFareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
in 1954. As the business grew, he developed facilities, diagnostics and animal care techniques, along with founding another six branches, an animal hospital was also constructed. A laboratory facility was developed in order to improve treatment to animals .
In 1965, Wickham Laboratories was incorporated as a separate company to provide contract testing services on behalf of pharmaceutical companies, doctors, farmers, and animal-feed manufacturers which included microbiology and chemistry testing. Mr Cartmell remains the company's Managing Director, and is the veterinarian responsible for carrying out the inspections of the Toxicology lab that are required under British law as well as for the animals welfare.
2003 Animal Burglary
Keith MannKeith Mann
Keith Mann is a British animal rights campaigner and writer, alleged by police in 2005 to be at the top of the Animal Liberation Front pyramid. He is the author of From Dusk 'til Dawn: An Insider's View of the Growth of the Animal Liberation Movement...
and one other activist from the Animal Liberation Front
Animal Liberation Front
The Animal Liberation Front is an international, underground leaderless resistance that engages in illegal direct action in pursuit of animal liberation...
(ALF) broke into Wickham Laboratories on December 13, 2003, and stole 695 mice that were being used to test Dysport, made from botulinum toxin
Botulinum toxin
Botulinum toxin is a protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, and is considered the most powerful neurotoxin ever discovered. Botulinum toxin causes Botulism poisoning, a serious and life-threatening illness in humans and animals...
. This medicine is licensed in the UK to treat serious illnesses such as cerebral palsy. Symptoms of other illnesses the medicine treats include eye muscle contractions whereby a person cannot open their eyes, or suffering through chronic facial twitches and muscle spasms which can mean the inability to walk or move properly. Animals are used for research of this medicine where there is no alternative method. Similar products are used in cosmetic surgery clinics to erase frown lines and are tested outside of the UK because it has been illegal to use animals to test for cosmetic purposes in the UK since 1998. Mann was arrested at his home and the mice were returned to the laboratory. He argued in court that the tests carried out by Wickham Laboratories were illegal because the product was being tested for cosmetic purposes, which is banned in Britain. The court rejected his defence, and found that the tests complied with British regulations because Dysport that was being tested is used for therapeutic purposes only. After the verdict of 230 hours of community service with no jail time was read in court, Mann made threatening remarks, Court was quickly reconvened, and Mann was sentenced to 6 months in jail for contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
; the judge, who called Mann "dangerous and fanatical", stated that "I will not have people leaving my court saying that sort of thing" and noted that Mann's actions "bore all the hallmarks of terrorism". Melvyn Glintenkamp was given 170 hours of community service for aiding and abetting Mann by allowing him to keep the stolen mice in a caravan at his home.
2009 BUAV investigation – 2010 Home Office Report
The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
published details in November 2009 of an eight-month undercover infiltration investigation conducted by the BUAV. Following the report, the Home Office said, “171. Licence and Certificate authorities to permit work under ASPA 1986 were, and are, in place at Wickham Laboratories...172. The authorities granted by the Home Office under ASPA were issued legitimately and with appropriate reference to current requirements for authorised medicinal products” The home office ministerial statement said: “the majority of concerns raised by the BUAV in their report have not been substantiated”.