Novartis Says Activists Threaten UK Investments
Date: 16-Nov-04
Country: UK
Animal rights campaigners have targeted Novartis for its use of live animals in pharmaceutical research. The company says it does all it can to safeguard the animals' welfare.
The newspaper quoted Novartis Chairman Daniel Vasella as saying the company's staff in Britain had been physically threatened.
"It is scaring our people," he was quoted as saying. "If they become so scared that it becomes a major issue, we could come close to leaving."
He said future research growth was likely to be in China, where the company has just signed a deal with a Shanghai medical institution to identify the active ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine.
The Novartis Group employs more than 3,000 people in Britain, according to the company's Web site.
Newspapers reported at the weekend that the British government planned to announce a clampdown on animal rights activists this month.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown said this month Britain must protect its foreign scientific investment.
