Created by Commonwealth Relations Office
26 May 1955
Description:

'NOTE OF A MEETING IN COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS OFFICE ON 26TH MAY TO DISCUSS POSITION IN REGARD TO SUPPLIES OF RHESUS MONKEYS FROM INDIA

PRESENT:

Mr. J. Thomson (C.R.O.) (in the Chair)

Sir Weldon Dalrymple-Champneys       Ministry of Health

Mr. A.D. Campbell                             "

Mr. H.F. Bartlett                       Foreign Office

Mr. J.D. Whittaker                    Medical Research Council

Mr. G.L. Simmons                    Commonwealth Relations Office

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... Great public interest had been shown in the Salk vaccine. There was a possibility that in certain circumstances there might be heavy public pressure for an accelerated scale of vaccinations. It was thus essential to ensure that the supply of monkeys could be shown to have been safeguarded at an early stage. It was necessary to consider the likely demand from every country interested in the production of polio vaccine, and to determine whether supply from all sources as it eventually developed would meet this demand. Only after this had been established would it be possible to decide whether some form of international regulation might be desirable. It was also necessary to know what other sources of supply existed other than India. We should have to consider whether other users of Rhesus monkeys were likely to co-operate in any form of international regulation.

2. The following points were made in discussion:

(a) The Salk vaccine was a killed vaccine; work was also being carried out on the production of an attenuated vaccine which would not require monkey tissue as a base. Rhesus monkeys were required mainly for safety testing and in spite of possible developments in the production of vaccines there was every likelihood that in the next three to five years there would be a large demand for Rhesus monkeys for safety testing purposes alone. Testing standards in the United Kingdom would be higher than those in the United States ...

(b) It seemed as if public opinion in the United Kingdom definitely accepted that further experimentation and research was necessary, particularly in the safety testing side, before any large scale vaccination program could be carried out. It was unlikely that the Government would be subjected to any panic pressures.

(c) United States producers were not satisfied with the safety tests at present obtaining and it was likely that the manufacturers themselves would now work for a higher standard of safety testing.

(d) It was definite that the Rhesus was the most satisfactory species. United States researchers were already thinking in terms of African monkeys in particular baboons. Baboons represented a considerable difficulty as they were not so tractable and easily handled as Rhesus. Methods were also being developed of using kidney from dead monkeys for the production of virus. It would enormously simplify the problem if the monkeys could be killed on the spot and the kidneys transported to production laboratories in the countries concerned. As far as the United Kingdom was concerned this would mean that some kind of test would have to be carried out on the imported monkey tissue before it could be considered safe for use by manufacturers.

...

(f) ... There was a danger that the Americans might react adversely to any unilateral action we might take to safeguard our own supplies. It might be better to bring the United States in on any proposals which the United Kingdom wished to make and to approach the Indian Government cojointly [sic] with them.

...

(i) The figure for 7,000 monkeys for 1955 had been designed to cover all contingencies. It was more than likely that the number of monkeys which the Indian government had licensed for the United Kingdom up to the end of July could not be taken up within this time. One of the United Kingdom's difficulties was a holding one. There was not at present sufficient holding capacity in the United Kingdom to make it possible to take a plane load e.g. 900 monkeys at a time and hold them for supply to the manufacturers as required. This also meant difficulties over supplies from Pakistan where at present they were only available by plane loads.

3. It was agreed

(a) That there was not at present sufficient information available to make it possible to assess whether an international agreement or other arrangement was desirable.

(b) Steps should be taken to secure from the Indian Government a further license to cover United Kingdom needs to the end of 1955.

(c) The United Kingdom Embassy in Washington should be informed of the consideration which has been given to the problem here, and requested to report on any reactions arising from Paterson's visit.'

--interdepartmental meeting -- Thomson sees potential public pressure for vaccine as important motivator for 'early stage' securing of monkeys -- need for overall demand to be known before deciding whether to form international 'club' -- rhesus primary used for safety testing of vaccine -- avoidance of 'panic measures' dependent on UK public opinion re: need for 'further experimentation and research' -- search for alternative supplies (US) -- fears re: acting without US support -- problem of lack of infrastructure in UK (not enough 'holding capacity') (prevents Pakistan scheme from being viable) -- decision re: international cooperation delayed (but US embassy informed of discussion)

 

 

DO 35/8639: G.L. Simmons [Commonwealth Relations Office] to J.R. Cross [U.K. High Commission in India], 9th June, 1955 [CRO 1601/5/1].

'CONFIDENTIAL

...

4. Patterson told us that from the expiry of the present licenses (June for the Americans and July for ourselves) the Indian Government propose to insist that each country employ only one agent in India to handle all exports (the extension in Patterson's mind was that these agents should be combined in one consortium). To some extent this seems to be confirmed by paragraph two of your telegraph number 647 in which you tell us that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has suggested that the best permanent method would be for a medical firm with an Indian organisation like Glaxo to act as agents for the supply of all monkeys needed for the United Kingdom.

5. On points of detail the wires have got a little crossed. ... What we must aim to ensure is that the United Kingdom is enabled to secure 7,000 monkeys by the end of 1955 and thus lay a sure foundation for the development of vaccine on the one hand and its adequate testing on the other. These humanitarian objectives are such that we feel confident they will appeal to the Indian authorities if they are properly presented.

...

7. The above shows how we seem to be getting at cross purposes over points of detail. We are anxious to ensure a regular flow of monkeys, up to the immediate ceiling of 7,000 which we would set for 1955. It is important that it should be a regular flow, and to this purpose we wish to co-operate with the Indian Government's licensing requirements. On the whole we should like to establish the system we have suggested whereby our overall requirements, which will be agreed between those concerned here, will be licensed to the Medical Research Council who will make the necessary arrangements with suppliers...

...'