SIR - For all the answers to disease we've found in the past 50 years, there are still so many for which we have no solution. Researchers are working around the clock and around the globe to find effective treatments and even cures for conditions from Alzheimer's to asthma. At the heart of that work is the use of animals, which continue to provide the best possible model for medical research, for finding the cures for diseases and conditions. Last month, the Coalition for Medical Progress, a broad alliance of organisations with an interest in medical research, launched its online people's petition to give the silent majority a voice on medical research.

The petition is completely anonymous, allowing people to sign up safely and securely. To sign the petition, securely and in confidence go to www.thepeoplespetition.org.uk

JO TANNER,

Coalition for Medical Progress, London.