Research Defence Society

The Research Defence Society was a British lobby group defending experiments on animals for research purposes. At the end of 2008 the Research Defence Society merged with another UK organisation - the Coalition for Medical Progress to form Understanding Animal Research. Understanding Animal Research Home Page
The Research Defence Society's aim was to disseminate information about, and to defend the use of, animal testing in medicine. It represented the interests of 5,000 researchers and institutions. It was reportedly funded by the pharmaceutical industry and universities. The organization stated it was funded by its members, which includes medical scientists, doctors and veterinarians, as well as pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, universities and charities that support medical research. The Times writes that the RDS is 'funded by the pharmaceutical industry and universities'.Focus: A campaigning hero The Sunday Times - Britain February 26, 2006
Its last executive director was Dr. Simon Festing who has gone on to be the CEO of Understanding Animal Research Understanding Animal Research About Us page.
==People==
===Staff===
====Circa 2007====
*Executive Director: Dr Simon Festing
*Communications Director: Barbara Davies
*Senior Project Manager: William Lee
*Policy Officer: Andreas-Salomon Sussmilch
*Project Officer: Kirk Leech (also of the LM network), circa 2005-2008The 2005 figure is from: LinkedIn Kirk Leech, accessed 22 August 2013 Leech's profile post 2008 seems to imply that he only worked for RDS from 2007: Battle of Ideas Kirk Leech, accessed 4 September 2013 The first Internet Archive holding of the RDS website that mentions Leech is from 11 February 2007: Structure The previous version of that page held in the Archive is from 21 October 2006: Structure
*Communications Officer: Corina Hadjiodysseos
*Science Communications Officer: Robin WilkinsonResearch Defence Society Structure, retrieved from the Internet Archive of 28 September 2007, on 27 August 2013
====Circa 2003====
Executive Director: Dr Mark Matfield | Communications Director: Barbara DaviesResearch Defence Society Structure, retrieved from the Internet Archive of 5 June 2003, on 4 September 2013
===Council===
====Circa 2007====
*Chairman: Professor Nancy Rothwell DBE FRS | Honorary Secretary: Professor R Lemon | Honorary Treasurer: Dr D Clough
*Members: Professor P Andrews | Dr Jean Bradbury | Ms L Curtis | Mr D Everett | Mr A Gay | Dr T Morris | Dr C Stanford | Ms S Whitehead | Dr P Wright
====Circa 2003====
Dr Peter Read CBE FRCP FFPM
Honorary Secretary:
Professor C Page
Honorary Treasurer:
Dr D Clough
Members of Council:
Mr R Bond
Dr D Everett
Professor T Hamblin
Dr B Hughes
Professor R Lemon
Dr T Morris
Ms M Rice
Ms S Whitehead
Dr P Wright
===Presidents and Vice Presidents===
====Circa 2007====
*President: Lord Taverne QC
*Honorary Vice-Presidents: Professor Sir Colin Berry DSc FRCPath FFPM | Sir James Black FRCP FRS | Sir Walter Bodmer FRCPath FRS | Sir Arnold Burgen FRCP FRS | Sir Roy Calne FRCS FRS | Mr Tam Dalyell MP | Sir Colin Dollery FRCP | Sir Michael Drury OBE FRCP FRCGP | Sir Andrew Huxley OM FRS | Dr Leslie Iversen FRS | Sir David Jack CBE DSc FRS | Baroness Knight of Collingtree DBE | Sir Stanley Peart FRCP FRS | Sir Phillip Randle FRCP FRS | Dr Peter Read OBE | Sir Richard Sykes DSc FRS FMedSci | Lord Turnberg of Cheadle FRCP | Professor Owen Wade CBE FRCP | Lord Walton of Detchant FRCP | The Rt Hon Lady Warnock DBE | Sir David Weatherall FRCP FRCPath FRS | Lord Winston of Hammersmith DSc FRCP FRCOG FMedSci 
====Circa 2003====
President: Lord Perry of Walton OBE MD FRCP FRS
Honorary Vice-Presidents:
Professor Sir Colin Berry DSc FRCPath FFPM
Sir James Black FRCP FRS
Sir Walter Bodmer FRCPath FRS
Sir Arnold Burgen FRCP FRS
Sir Roy Calne FRCS FRS
Mr Tam Dalyell MP
Sir Colin Dollery FRCP
Sir Michael Drury OBE FRCP FRCGP
Sir Andrew Huxley OM FRS
Dr Leslie Iversen FRS
Sir David Jack CBE DSc FRS
Baroness Knight of Collingtree DBE
Sir Stanley Peart FRCP FRS
Sir Phillip Randle FRCP FRS
Professor Patricia Scott MBE
Sir John Vane FRS
Professor Owen Wade CBE FRCP
Lord Walton of Detchant FRCP
The Rt Hon Lady Warnock DBE
Sir David Weatherall FRCP FRCPath FRS
==Contact==
:Web:rds-online.org.uk (now defunct)
:Internet Archive holdings: rds-online.org.uk
==Resources==
*Understanding Animal Research website 
*Woods, Richard & Ungoed-Thomas, Jonathan. "A campaigning hero", Sunday Times, February 26, 2006
==Notes==