New era for chimpanzee research: broad implications of chimpanzee research decisions

The unprecedented recent decision-making about chimpanzees supported for biomedical science by the US National Institutes of Health attracted international attention and significantly changed many dimensions of chimpanzee research. Many public and media portrayals incorrectly generalized the NIH findings to conclude that chimpanzee research itself was no longer necessary. In fact, the broader question of the necessity and value of the full range of chimpanzee research was never asked, evaluated, or within the NIH's primary charge. The Institute of Medicine evaluative panel found that research with chimpanzees was necessary for some, but not all, purposes. The panel's findings also led the NIH to introduce new standards for the care and management of NIH-supported chimpanzees and a new mechanism for ethical review of grant proposals involving chimpanzees. The NIH evaluation and decisions could not address all captive chimpanzees and all types of research. However, the process did underscore the need for a more expansive framework for continued ethical review and decision-making to responsibly address the future of captive chimpanzee management and research. Among the broader considerations are extension of evidence-informed standards to ensure equitable care and treatment of all chimpanzees; determining the global impact of limited captive populations; and balancing benefit and harm at individual, species, societal, and environmental levels. The breadth and longevity of impact from the current US decisions suggest the need for many voices, disciplines, and stakeholders to address the complex interplay between science, animal welfare, and global health.