Chimpanzees in the U.S. Animal testing on non-human primates

enos space chimp before being inserted mercury-atlas 5 capsule in 1961

as of 2007, usa , gabon countries still use chimpanzees research purposes, having largest colony in world of more 1,000 chimpanzees @ 6 laboratories of middle 2011, dropping less 700 of 2016.

new iberia research center, affiliated university of louisiana (372)
m.d. anderson cancer center, affiliated university of texas (178)
alamogordo primate facility (affiliated national institutes of health , charles river laboratories) @ holloman airforce base (176)
southwest national primate research center, affiliated texas biomedical research institute (173)
yerkes national primate research center, affiliated emory university , georgia state university (86)
bioqual, inc. (15).

chimps routinely live 30 years in captivity, , can reach 60 years of age.

most of labs either conduct or make chimps available invasive research, defined inoculation infectious agent, surgery or biopsy conducted sake of research , not sake of chimpanzee, and/or drug testing. 2 federally funded laboratories use chimps: yerkes national primate research center @ emory university in atlanta, georgia, , southwest national primate research center in san antonio, texas. 5 hundred chimps have been retired laboratory use in u.s. , live in sanctuaries in u.s. or canada.

their importation wild banned in 1973. until 1996, chimpanzees in u.s. facilities bred domestically. others transferred entertainment industry animal testing facilities 1983, although not known if animals transferred entertainment industry still in testing centers. animal sanctuaries not option until first north american sanctuary accept chimps opened in 1976.

in 1986, prepare research on aids, u.s. bred them aggressively, 315 breeding chimpanzees used produce 400 offspring. 1996, clear siv/hiv-2/shiv in macaque monkeys preferred scientific aids model chimps, meant there surplus. five-year moratorium on breeding therefore imposed u.s. national institutes of health (nih) year, , has been extended annually since 2001. of october 2006, chimp population in laboratories had declined 1133 peak of 1500 in 1996.

chimpanzees tend used repeatedly on decades, rather used , killed laboratory animals. individual chimps in u.s. laboratories have been used in experiments on 40 years. oldest known chimp in u.s. lab wenka, born in laboratory in florida on may 21, 1954. removed mother on day of birth used in vision experiment lasted 17 months, sold pet family in north carolina. returned yerkes national primate research center in 1957 when became big handle. since then, has given birth 6 times, , has been used in research alcohol use, oral contraceptives, aging, , cognitive studies.

with publication of chimpanzee genome, there reportedly plans increase use of chimps in labs, scientists arguing federal moratorium on breeding chimps research should lifted. other researchers argue chimps unique animals , should either not used in research, or should treated differently. pascal gagneux, evolutionary biologist , primate expert @ university of california, san diego, argues that, given chimpanzees sense of self, tool use, , genetic similarity human beings, studies using chimps should follow ethical guidelines used human subjects unable give consent. stuart zola, director of yerkes national primate research laboratory, disagrees. told national geographic: don t think should make distinction between our obligation treat humanely species, whether s rat or monkey or chimpanzee. no matter how may wish it, chimps not human.

in january 2011 institute of medicine asked nih examine whether government should keep supporting biomedical research on chimpanzees. nih called study after protests humane society of united states, primatologist jane goodall , others, when announced plans move 186 semi-retired chimps active research. in december 15, 2011 institute of medicine committee concluded in chimpanzees in biomedical , behavioral research: assessing necessity report that

as scientific research indicates decreasing need use of chimpanzees due emergence of non-chimpanzee models. later day francis collins, head of nih, said agency stop issuing new awards research involving chimpanzees until recommendations developed iom implemented.

in 2013 nih agreed iom s recommendations experimentation on chimpanzees unnecessary , helped in advancing human health infectious diseases , nih phase out of government-funded experiments on chimpanzees.

in june 16, 2015, u.s. fish , wildlife service announced has designated captive chimpanzees endangered. in november 2015 nih announced no longer support biomedical research on chimpanzees , release remaining 50 chimpanzees sanctuaries. agency develop plan phasing out nih support remaining chimps supported by, not owned by, nih.