WASHINGTON—Humanity and compassion for primates were on the agenda at a public meeting today concerning historic changes proposed for the Oregon National Primate Research Center, a federally-funded laboratory at the Oregon Health and Science University. Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, commend the OHSU board of directors for voting in favor of a resolution to move forward with discussions with the National Institutes of Health to potentially transition the primate center away from animal experimentation and set the stage for its becoming a primate sanctuary.
The following statements and background are available for media reporting on this first-of-its-kind development regarding government-funded facilities that experiment on primates, including baboons, macaques and squirrel monkeys.
“Today’s resolution by the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors was truly overdue, and so welcome,” said Kathleen Conlee, vice president of animal research issues at Humane World for Animals. “The Oregon National Primate Research Center history of failing to meet even minimal standards of animal care has resulted in immense suffering and the deaths of hundreds of primates. The university’s commitment to work with the NIH to explore transitioning the research center into a federally funded primate sanctuary represents a rare and critical opportunity that all should welcome, because it will set us on a path toward better science without causing animal suffering.”
There are nearly 5,000 monkeys at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (the largest of the National Primate Research Centers), and nearly 1,000 monkeys each year are subjected to shocking substance abuse and infectious disease experiments—often using pregnant mothers—before they are killed. OHSU has accumulated several federal Animal Welfare Act violations and warnings in connection with these cruel and unnecessary experiments.
“It will require bold actions like this to meet the commitment of the current administration to reduce and end federally funded animal experimentation,” said Tracie Letterman, vice president of federal affairs at Humane World Action Fund. “Federal agencies are shifting toward modern, non-animal testing methods, a sign of major transformation in how biomedical research and safety testing are conducted. By working with the NIH to consider closing the Oregon National Primate Research Center, invest in these new technologies, and provide safe retirement for thousands of monkeys, OHSU can distinguish itself as a leader in the drive toward more effective, humane approaches that better protect human health and the lives of animals.”
Today’s vote means that OHSU can begin a 180-day negotiation period with NIH on the future of the Oregon National Primate Research Center, marking a step forward in discussions but not a final decision.
Read an earlier statement made by Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund on this topic in our newsroom.
