Minister: Kostić amendment puts animal welfare and medical research at risk
Minister Rianne Letschert advised against an amendment proposed by Ines Kostić (Party for the Animals) during the debate on the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science budget. According to the minister, the proposal to require BPRC to allocate an increasing share of its government funding to animal-free research would jeopardise not only biomedical research but also the welfare of the monkeys housed at BPRC.
During the debate on the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science budget in the Dutch House of Representatives, Minister Rianne Letschert advised against an amendment proposed by Ines Kostić (Party for the Animals). According to the minister, the proposal to allocate an increasing share of BPRC’s government funding to animal-free research would jeopardise not only biomedical research but also the welfare of the monkeys housed at BPRC.
Kostić wants taxpayers’ money to be invested in ‘future-proof innovations’ rather than what she describes as ‘outdated experiments on monkeys’. Her amendment proposes requiring BPRC to allocate an increasing proportion of its government funding to alternative research methods. This amount would rise from €2.5 million in 2027 to €13 million in 2032, representing the entire annual subsidy.
During the budget debate, Kostić stated that she was not calling for an immediate ban but wanted to gradually redirect funding. According to the minister, however, the proposal fails to take sufficient account of the fact that BPRC’s operating subsidy also covers its research infrastructure and the care of its monkeys.
Minister Letschert raised serious objections. “If a substantially increasing proportion of the operating subsidy is earmarked for specific purposes, it will create a major shortfall in BPRC’s operating budget that cannot be covered without additional government funding,” she stated when advising against the amendment. A vote on the amendment is expected on 8 December.
Animal welfare also at risk
Government funding for BPRC is not used exclusively for research involving monkeys. It is also essential for maintaining research facilities, sustaining the breeding colony, and providing housing and care for the animals. A mandatory shift in funding towards animal-free methods would therefore also affect the care of the monkeys.
The minister warned that the proposal would have undesirable consequences for animal welfare, the scientific quality of ongoing research involving monkeys, and Europe’s strategic autonomy.
It would also put pressure on the Netherlands’ ability to contribute to medical innovation through translational research. BPRC provides expertise and research facilities as part of a broader scientific research and development process.
“I believe that increasing the earmarked funding as you propose would, at this point, leave BPRC in a vulnerable position, because it would directly affect its operating budget rather than necessarily affecting those specific research programmes,” she said in response to questions from Kostić.
Letschert stressed that the transition towards animal-free research methods must be carefully managed. “We share the same goal. However, I envisage a different timeline for achieving it than you do,” she told Kostić.
According to the minister, scientific feasibility must be a key consideration. Alternative methods must be sufficiently developed and validated before they can replace existing research.
BPRC already invests in animal-free alternatives
The minister pointed out that BPRC is already working to accelerate the development of animal-free research methods. An agreement with the research centre stipulates that an increasing proportion of its government funding will be allocated to developing and validating alternative research methods. By 2030, this share is expected to reach 30%, equivalent to €4.1 million annually.
This agreement builds on developments that have been underway at BPRC for some time. The research centre already uses cell and tissue models, organoids, and other in vitro methods. These approaches make it possible to investigate an increasing number of research questions without the use of laboratory animals.
In addition, the Dutch government is investing €124.5 million through the National Growth Fund in Ombion, a programme that brings together scientists, companies, educational institutions, and regulatory authorities to advance animal-free innovations. Kostić considers these efforts insufficient.
The MP once again called for a specific end date for public funding of research involving monkeys. Minister Rianne Letschert declined to commit to such a deadline.
In her response, the minister emphasised the importance of preserving BPRC’s specialised research infrastructure. Its expertise, research facilities, and monkey colony cannot easily be recreated elsewhere. BPRC therefore plays an important role not only in biomedical research in the Netherlands but also in safeguarding Europe’s strategic autonomy.
