Science and morality

Paul Browne (Letters, 23 January) is right to point out that research involving experimental animals "should be tightly regulated", but for many years, this has not been the case. One of the difficulties with animal experimentation is that the results may have no relevance to human physiology and the work may be driven by demands of drug-based medicine and the need for profit in the pharmaceutical industry, or the need for research grants for experimental work.

There is an important difference between science and scientism, the notion that science is somehow independent of human morality. Scientists are certainly human beings and their conduct cannot be regarded as outside human morality.

(DR) DAVID PURVES

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh