JAN Creamer of the National Anti-Vivisection Society (Yours Truly, Nov 16), who campaigns to abolish the use of animals in medical research, is presumably a healthy person and can therefore afford to hold this opinion.

But what about the millions of people whose lives depend on prescription medicines? Or those of us who need medical research to continue? Don't we deserve better than her propaganda?

The fact is that all modern prescription medicines are developed and tested with the help of animal studies. I am not simply talking of legally required animal testing before human clinical trials; I am referring to the research and development which is conducted in the fundamental stages of drug discovery. Where there is no legal requirement to use animals, they are used because it is the only way to find out what happens in a living body. If anyone disagrees with me, then name one available prescription medicine that has been developed without any animal research.

I would like to thank the scientific community for saving my mother's life. She is living proof that animal research saves lives, as are many others.

Seriously Ill for Medical Research (SIMR) is a patient's group which supports the humane use of animals and genetic technology where necessary in medical research. Our members suffer from illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis and many, many others.

For an information pack write to SIMR, PO Box 504, Dunstable, Beds LU6 2LU.

T. BROMLEY,

SIMR member.