Chimpanzees in Animal Experimentation

What do the United States and Gabon have in common? Would it surprise you to know that they are the only two countries in the world that still use chimpanzees in animal experiments and testing? Chimpanzees are highly intelligent animals, cooperate with and learn from each other, participate in cultural and social activities such as dancing in the rain, and make and use tools. They have also been shown to have complex social and emotional relationships similar to that of a young child's. And despite all this these animals are still used in barbaric tests and experimentation here in the US. Eight federally funded research centers use primates (three keep chimpanzees) as to study AIDS, hepatitis, cancer, Alzheimer, Parkinson, leprosy, heart disease, and other human health problems even though chimpanzees would never contract these ailments under normal circumstances. Chimpanzees are also the victims of bioterrorism research that is conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Experiments conducted on behalf of what is known as Project Bioshield subject the animals to painful and highly stressful bone-marrow extraction (some animals are apparently kept isolated for up to 20 years) in order to develop antibodies for anthrax and other pathogens. The tests are redundant and unnecessary because non-animal antibodies have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or are in late-stage clinical trials. Most of the other 1,300 captive chimpanzees in the U.S. are confined to zoos or used and abused in the entertainment industry. Only about 500 live in sanctuaries. Please help the chimps and urge the ICCVAM to ban all testing and experimentation on them now.

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