We reported last month on the estimate of worldwide laboratory animal use published by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV).

Antivivisectionists have always found the numbers of animals a useful campaigning tool, since it represents something to attack. They would appear to have an interest in keeping the figure as high as possible. As we reported in June this year, some of the changes the antivivisectionists would like to see to European legislation on animal experimentation would cause a massive increase in recorded animal numbers.

Now our Director has given a critique of the antivivisection guesswork on the Guardian science blog. Feel free to add your own comments.