Questions about our animal testing policy
We seek to contribute to the development of new medications or therapies for serious diseases. In certain cases, animal testing is required for the proper performance of our research duties. When BPRC conducts experiments involving animal testing, we act in accordance with the Dutch Experiments on Animals Act (WOD), under which primates must only be used for biomedical research on serious diseases if no alternative methods are available. We operate in accordance with the principle of the three Rs: Reduction, Refinement and Replacement of experiments involving animal testing.
The Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) is a scientific research institute that conducts biomedical research on life-threatening diseases, e.g. AIDS, malaria, hepatitis, tuberculosis and autoimmune diseases such as MS.
But that is not all BPRC does. We also collaborate with zoos, and we contribute to the health of primates living in the wild; BPRC researchers are working hard to develop methods which will help us preserve endangered species in an animal-friendly manner.
We prioritise animal welfare in our work. Our primates must be given as much room as they need to be themselves and move around freely.
However, the Dutch government is not the only organisation to believe in our work. We also receive financial support from international governmental organisations and charities. The best-known foundations which believe in our work are the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
BPRC prioritises quality over quantity. We demonstrate this in several ways.
The principle of the three Rs basically amounts to our being able (thanks to new technologies and improved selection methods) to minimise the number of animals we need for testing purposes and to our seeking to make our primates' lives as pleasant as possible. In this way, we seek to obtain more information from fewer animals, meaning we will need fewer laboratory animals (reduction).
BPRC accommodates three types of monkeys: rhesus macaques, crab-eating macaques and marmosets. The majority of our approximately 1,000 animals are part of a breeding programme and are not used for experimental purposes.
All of BPRC's rhesus macaques, crab-eating macaques and marmosets were bred by ourselves. While this is expensive, it renders stressful transportation from breeding centres in countries such as China and Mauritius unnecessary.
No, only about 10% of our monkeys will be used in any given year. They will never be under the age of 4 (rhesus and crab-eating macaques) or 1.5 (marmosets).
The approach described above reduces the amount of anxiety experienced by the animals during experiments, since they are more mentally stable than animals which were removed from their birth group at an early age. The colony's manager (an animal behaviour expert), vets and geneticists closely cooperate to ensure that the animals are bred properly, to prevent inbreeding and to guarantee the best possible selection of animals for the various studies.
Genetically, monkeys are the species most similar to human beings; rhesus macaques are genetically about 93% identical to humans. It should be noted that not all primates are suitable for all studies. A primate's suitability for a particular study depends on many factors. The decision as to which animals are suitable for which studies is made by the colony's manager, in association with our vets. The females in the colonies have a 50% chance they will never be used for any experiments, since they may be necessary for breeding purposes.
Generally speaking, the animals' organs must be examined at the end of a study. If this is not the case, we may in some cases be able to use the animals in a different study, always taking into account applicable laws and the level of discomfort caused to the animals.
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