In a move that could signal a turning point for primate research in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ordered a complete phase-out of its monkey experiments. The decision affects roughly 200 macaques used in infectious disease studies and could take effect by the end of the year.
While this is a long-awaited victory for primates, it also leaves an unanswered question regarding what happens next for these intelligent, sensitive animals. Reportedly, some may be killed, while others could be placed in sanctuaries.
In a hopeful development, Scott Kubisch, founder of the Peaceable Primate Sanctuary, said they were contacted by a federal official to inquire about their capacity to take in monkeys. However, the quantity of animals involved presents a significant funding challenge.
It should also be noted that the CDC studies account for only a tiny proportion of ongoing nonhuman primate research at NIH-funded institutions in the U.S., as the former director of the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University told Scientific American.
Still, this move represents a major step toward ending the use of primates in federal experiments. Monkeys in U.S. labs have been caught in a cruel, unending cycle of confinement, invasive procedures, and eventual death — and this decision may signal the beginning of its long-overdue dismantling.
Lady Freethinker applauds this landmark action by the CDC, but also calls on the agency to ensure that every remaining macaque is safely relocated to sanctuaries rather than killed.
