Living dangerously on drugs

Animal instincts

The text of the updated EU legislation on laboratory animals voted last week (5 May) in the European Parliament “is acceptable”, Higgins says. “We merely asked for common sense in the approach. We would like it to be more liberal, but we know it is a very emotive subject.”
On combating swine flu, Higgins reports good co-operation with the European Commission's health department and the World Health Organization. “We have mechanisms in place to respond rapidly. We just need clear directions from the authorities.
“We can cope, we have capacity, we are confident.”