Proposed legislation to limit non-human primate research

[Michael Oberdorfer]

Nature reports that proposed legislation would require NIH to reduce the number of non-human primates used in biomedical research. The bill requires that NIH: “accelerate efforts to reduce and replace the use of nonhuman primates with alternative research models.”

The bill has cleared committee, would be part of the 2020 budget, and was introduced by Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D - California.)

The proposed bill would also require that NIH report on the number of non-human primates used in research and for what purposes. The NIH has stated that research on non-human primates is important for HIV and neuroscience research.

The bill must still pass the House and Senate and be signed into law by the President as part of the budget bill.

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