Barry Harvey (January 25) says "humans must come first".

Once we assume that the interests of our group are always more important than those of a group that we see as inferior, we are adopting the same arguments used to support slavery, genocide and human experimentation.

We should remember that the experiments carried out on Jews, Russians and Poles under the Nazi regime were also defended on the grounds of their contribution to knowledge.

Those carrying out the experiments were not crazed psychopaths but eminent doctors and scientists prepared to inflict terrible suffering on a 'lesser race' in the interest of science.

Had a Nazi scientist discovered a cure for cancer as a result of these experiments, would this have justified them?

The reality is that animal experiments continue for two reasons.

Firstly, most scientists do not look for alternatives because they have such little respect for the animals they are using.

The second, more fundamental reason is that vivisection is a multi-million pound industry, with breeders, equipment suppliers, laboratory staff and company shareholders all dependent on its continuation.

Like any big business that feels threatened, those involved will fight to defend their livelihood, even if it means being economic with the truth. The claim that there would be no more cures for human ailments without animal experiments simply isn't true.

A final consideration is that thousands of people die every year in the UK of diseases that we know how to prevent and cure.

We simply do not put enough money and effort into doing what we already know will save lives.

-Frank Prince-Iles, Sunnydale Avenue, Brighton