THOMAS Bromley (You Say, December 3) asks for names of medicines not evolved through animal testing. One example is sodium cromoglycate, a successful drug used in the treatment of asthma developed by a doctor who had little faith in animal experimentation.

Others include the introduction of beta blockers, digitalis, morphine, nitrite drugs, quinine and salicylic acid.

Male, female and race reactions to drugs differ, so how can the advocates of vivisection claim that testing on animals is an accurate prediction of human response to drug treatment?

It is also shameful of the vivisection industry to raise the hopes of the chronically ill by implying that animal experiments will cure them.

The most recent example of this is the much-heralded treatment for Parkinson's disease. Experiments carried out on mice brains appeared to work, but when applied to humans, caused fatalities and severe side effects.

There is appalling suffering in vivisection laboratories, often funded by the taxpayer for, in the main, commercial reasons.

For further information, contact the National Anti Vivisection Society. Tel 020 8846 9777.

A KNITTEL, Worcester.