Working for the periodical Animal’s Agenda, Rick Bogle discovered disturbing aspects of research projects on nonhuman primates (henceforth referred to as primates). He found one researcher who was “depriving infant rhesus macaques of key nutrients and stud[ying] the results, such as chronic diarrhea and neural impairment,” and another researcher who was “learning howWorking for the periodical Animal’s Agenda, Rick Bogle discovered disturbing aspects of research projects on nonhuman primates (henceforth referred to as primates). He found one researcher who was “depriving infant rhesus macaques of key nutrients and stud[ying] the results, such as chronic diarrhea and neural impairment,” and another researcher who was “learning how to bolt the heads of three-month-old monkeys into a restraint device and inject[ing] chemicals into their brains to induce seizures.” In other experiments, baby monkeys were separated from their mothers so researchers could study conditions like depression, aggression, and mother-infant bonding.
Torturous experiments on primates, like those depicted above, make most people uncomfortable. For many years in the United States, heated controversy has surrounded animal experimentation in general, but no issue is more emotionally charged than using primates in medical tests. At an emotional level, humans recognize something of themselves in primates, and they are therefore reluctant to approve the use of primates for experimentation, especially if the test would be painful. Polls indicate that the public believes a difference exists between primates and other animals and that primates have much in common with humans.
These feelings of kinship drive animal protection groups to prevent experimentation on primates. However, those involved with research on primates argue that primate experiments are necessary to find cures for human diseases. The debate over primate testing centers around two issues: the effectiveness of testing on primates...