PRIMATES Act of 2024 Painful Research and Investigations on Monkeys Abused in Taxpayer-funded Experiments Stops Act of 2024
If enacted, the PRIMATES Act will amend the Public Health Service Act, ultimately leading to a broader reform in how federally funded research is conducted involving nonhuman primates. This could set a precedent influencing how other agencies approach animal testing regulations. The bill mandates the NIH to not only cease such painful research but also to phase out the use of nonhuman primates altogether, aligning with societal shifts towards more humane treatment of animals in research.
House Bill 9634, known as the PRIMATES Act, aims to restrict the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or funding any research that inflicts significant pain or distress on nonhuman primates. The bill is a direct response to growing concerns about the ethics of animal testing, particularly regarding the treatment of primates in research settings. It establishes a clear prohibition on any NIH-affiliated research that meets the criteria of causing significant pain as defined under categories D and E by the Department of Agriculture.
Debate surrounding HB 9634 is likely to include discussions on the balance between scientific advancement and ethical considerations in animal welfare. Proponents of the bill argue that the ethical implications of causing distress to sentient beings should take precedence over potential scientific benefits. Conversely, some stakeholders in the biomedical research community may express concern that such restrictions could hinder important medical research and development processes that rely on primates for testing. Overall, the act raises fundamental questions about the future of animal research and the methods used in scientific inquiry.