The Facts About Primate
Experimentation
Primate experimentation in the U.S. is out of control.
Approximately 96,000 primates are imprisoned in US labs, an increase of
42% in the last five years.
Funding for primate experimentation has also increased
reaching $1.1 billion during fiscal 2002. The National Institutes of
Health (NIH) is responsible for most of this waste, contributing over
$950 million to the total. The number of NIH-funded primate projects has
increased 54.6% in the last ten years exceeding 1513. Other government
agencies funding this atrocity include the National Science Foundation,
United States Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Defense.
Widespread Suffering
The species most often experimented on are: rhesus
monkeys, baboons, squirrel monkeys, and chimpanzees.
Laboratory isolation is severely stressful to
primates. In fact, 10% of isolated primates are so severely stressed
that they begin to engage in self-injurious behavior.
Harvard – 2100 primates imprisoned --
55% infant mortality rate. Harvard has over 300 primates in solitary
confinement, with many exhibiting pathological behavior. Harvard labs
violated the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) 14 times in 3 years. 417 primates
die per year. Harvard receives $207 million in federal funds for New
England Primate Center.
University of Oklahoma, Health Science Center (OUHSC)
– 240 primates locked up. 60 primates left outside in 100-degree heat
without shade or access to shelter. OUHSC violated federal law 11 times
in 3 years.
University of Pittsburgh (PITT) – 600
primates imprisoned. Pitt violated federal law 27 times in 3 years.
Experiments here deprive primates of water. Unnecessary isolation has
driven monkeys insane.
University of Wisconsin Madison -- (UW)
imprisons approximately 1500 primates. Documents indicate that 54% of
the macaques and 64% of the marmosets were suffering from
gastro-intestinal tract disease at death, potentially brought on by
stress. The marmoset colony at the UW had an infant mortality rate of
58%. UW primates are documented as engaging in self-mutilation.
Three marmosets were recently killed at the UW when
they were not removed from their cage before the cage was sanitized. UW
receives $62 million in federal funding for the Wisconsin Primate Center
as 200 primates die annually. UW violated federal law 15 times in 3
years.
Emory University – imprisons over 3800
primates. A report from 8/23/02 reveals the death of rhesus monkey #3566
on 4/16/02. This primate had been steadily declining since 6/01 – losing
32% of his/her body weight in this 14-month period. Yerkes Primate
Center receives $111 million per year in federal funds. 410 primates die
per year. Emory violated the AWA 28 times in 3 years.
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
– 182 primates incarcerated. USDA prosecution for: “Doing a craniotomy
to expose a monkey's brain without administering post-operative
analgesics; over-breeding marmoset monkeys; depriving monkeys of water,
resulting in severe weight loss.” UCSF cited for 51 violations of the
Animal Welfare Act in 3 years.
University of California, Davis – 4100
primates confined. 36% of deaths tied to gastro-intestinal tract
disease; 34% of the dead primates were emaciated & 20% were dehydrated.
7 primates killed in heating malfunction in 2004. Davis Primate Center
receives $81 million per year in federal funds. 560 primates die per
year.
University of Puerto Rico – 1800
primates locked up. 33 violations of the Animal Welfare Act in 3 years
University of Washington, Seattle – 1200
primates locked up. Internal UW documents reveal the death of primate
(K93464) on (9/01) as a result of ingesting a set of latex gloves.
Another primate (T93497) died (1/01) after being anesthetized for a
blood draw, potentially as a result of anesthetic overdose. Another
primate (#93169) died (7/00) of anesthetic overdose. Two primates
(A00131 & 98026) in the care of investigator CC Tsai died with “total
absence of body fat stores” and “total absence of subcutaneous fat.”
Dehydration is also discussed in reference to primate #98026. Primate
F93276 died 6/01 is discussed as having “Malnutrition, chronic, severe”
and “Dehydration, severe.” The UW receives $246 million annually for the
Washington Primate Center; 700 primates die annually.
Johns Hopkins – confines over 500
primates. During 1999 Riki, a rhesus monkey, died at Johns Hopkins
University. This primate had received treatment for ulcers in 1996.
During 1999 Riki was found to be biting his/her stifles (area near the
knee), a form of self-mutilation. On 8/27/99 Riki was found lying on
his/her side at noon in shock. The only treatment given was intravenous
fluids. A government report states: “The primate was allowed to suffer
and die, instead of being immediately humanely euthanized when the
decision was made not to administer further treatment.”
Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU)
– 4000 primates incarcerated. OHSU receives $269 million/year for the
Oregon Primate Center while killing 400 primates.
University of Alabama, Birmingham (UAB)
– 212 monkeys imprisoned. Internal UAB documents reveal primates with a
total lack of body fat (indicating long-term disease), swollen joints,
and self-mutilation.
Tulane University – 6000 primates
incarcerated. Tulane receives $112 million/year in federal funds for the
Tulane Primate Research Center where 895 primates die annually.
New Iberia Research Center (NIRC) --
5500 primates locked up. Abuses reported include: burning the hands of
chimpanzees, improper anesthetization techniques, and the deaths of
primates from exposure to the elements. Necropsy reports obtained from
the NIH reveal that animals at NIRC are emaciated, dehydrated, and
suffering from physical trauma. Primates that routinely live until 30 or
more are usually dying at age 3 or less
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SWFBR)
– 6200 primates imprisoned. SWFBR receives $79 million in federal funds
for primate experiments. 338 primates killed each year.
Government Waste
Most primates are not used in experiments that study
the diseases that kill most Americans. Projects that study primate
psychology, alcohol & addictive drugs, brain mapping, and sex in
primates far outnumber studies involving heart disease or cancer.
Repetition is rampant among NIH-funded projects.
Currently, 175 NIH projects study neural information processing in
macaque monkeys. These useless experiments waste over $70 million in
federal tax dollars every year. Many of these projects continue on for
decades wasting millions of tax dollars each year and victimizing
primates for an entire lifetime.
What you can do to help:
1. Read, copy, and distribute this fact sheet.
2. Write to your federal legislators to request a
General Accounting Office (GAO) investigation of National Institutes of
Health (NIH) funded primate experimentation.
The Honorable____________
202-234-3121
U.S. House of Representatives
www.house.gov
Washington, D.C. 20515
Senator __________________
202-234-3121
U.S. Senate
www.senate.gov
Washington, D.C. 20510
3. Send as large a tax-deductible donation as you
can afford to Stop Animal Exploitation NOW! (SAEN) to support this
campaign.
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