E't i
n Par;
OMAY 1982
C517ft
........................
TO Mr. R.L.O. Elyr . ..... ii0d&i ... It;--E.
Thornton
Public Affairs, ...... .................
--- -------
Millbank. ------------
. .......................
REF RET/LAP/46D . DATE 18 May, 1982
Following our meeting at GR&DC, I now enclose a
document
which explains the work carried out in our
Biological Sciences
Group and which I hope is suitable for you to send
to Number
Ones of Associate Companies. I am sorry for the
delay you
know the reason why!
R. E. THORNTON
cc
Dr. L. C. F. Blackman,
Mr. A. L. Heard.
Enc
BATCo document for Province of BritiSh Columbia 8
November 1999


RET./LAP/46D 5 May, 1982
BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT GR&DC
Biological research at GR&DC was originally set
up,
in 1972, mainly to anticipate the requirements of
the
Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and
Health.
This Committee was formed in 1973 to advise the
Secretaries
of State in the UK, principally with regard to
appropriate
tests for tobacco products. In fact the company,
based on
the high level of expertise in its Biological
Research
Unit, has been able to maintain excellent
relations with
the Independent Committee, and to influence the
formulation
of guidelines for the examination of tobacco
products.
In this respect, as a result of having its own
biological research unit, it is probably fair to
say that
BAT are the most influential of the UK tobacco
companies.
Two other companies contract out all their
biological
research to independent organisations; the other
has a
small in-house unit (but does not carry out animal
studies) .
Our policy is to contract out the more routine and
repetitive
studies, or those in which we do not have
appropriate
expertise.
The Independent Committee's protocols involve the
use
of animals and, in order to meet these
requirements, we
carry out experiments involving smoke inhalation
by rats,
which are the only animals used in our
experiments.
Such animals are kept in excellent conditions in a
purpose-built laboratory and the premises are
inspected,
without prior warning, by Inspectors from the U.K.
Home
office, who have the authority to shut our unit
immediately,
if we do not follow good laboratory practice. It
has always
been our intention that our standards should
exceed the
Home Office requirements, and every inspection has
been
more than satisfactory. A typical experiment would
involve
approximately 80 animals.
As our programme of work has developed, increasing
emphasis has been placed on research with the aim
of
developing tests which require the use of fewer
animals or
none at all. This includes tests related to
changes in the
levels of biochemicals (for example enzymes) and
tests
using bacteria (Ames Test) . Currently,
approximately 60%
of the effort of the unit is directed towards such
studies,
and this figure is likely to increase.
BATCO document for Province of BritiSh Columbia 8
November 1999


-2-
More recently some efforts have been made towards
studying the biological effects of smoke in human
subjects,
although most of these studies, of necessity, are
carried
out under contract.
The work of the unit has ranged from the
development
of methodology for measuring the amount of smoke
inhalation
in rats, to an investigation of BAT's smoking
material
(BATFLAKE) in accordance with approved protocols,
and to
studies on novel filter additives.
Currently, the unit is examining a number of
product
variables (expanded tobacco, processed tobacco,
cigarette
paper etc) and flavour materials by the wide range
of tests
now available. Interpretation of the results of
biological
studies is not always easy and, in addition to the
expertise
of its staff, BAT is fortunate in having available
advice
from consultants who have world-wide reputations
for
excellence.
BATCo document for Province of BritiSh Columbia 8
November 1999