JAN Creamer of the National Anti-Vivisection Society (Leyland Citizen 29/6) is loud in attacking medical research, but is remarkably quiet telling us what to use instead of animals to give hope to people with illnesses.

We would be interested to hear how she plans to replicate a beating heart, blood system, breathing lungs, central nervous system, and the way these function together -- just some of the necessities required by researchers when studying life-threatening medical conditions.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the scientific community for saving my mother's life, some of us appreciate you and will stand up and defend future progress. My mother is living proof that animal research saves lives as are many others.

A survey by the British Medical Association found that 19 out of 20 doctors agree that animal research has aided medical progress.

The BMA made an official statement concluding: "we believe animal experimentation is necessary for a better understanding of diseases and how to treat them, but believe that, where possible, alternative methods should be used".

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.

For an information pack write to SIMR PO Box 504, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 2LU or www.simr.org.uk

Thomas Bromley (MIMR member), PO Box 3126, Littlehampton, West Sussex