IOM Study on Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral Research

Last December (2010), we commissioned a study by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to assess whether chimpanzees are or will be necessary for biomedical and behavioral research. This week, the IOM issued its findings in its report “Chimpanzees in Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Assessing the Necessity.” The primary recommendation of the report is that the use of chimpanzees in research be guided by a set of principles and criteria. The committee proposed three principles to analyze current and potential future research using chimpanzees.

1. That the knowledge gained must be necessary to advance the public’s health;
2. There must be no other research model by which the knowledge could be obtained, and the research cannot be ethically performed human on subjects; and
3. The animals used in the proposed research must be maintained either in ethologically appropriate physical and social environments (i.e., as would occur in their natural environment) or in natural habitats.

Based on its deliberations, the IOM committee concluded that, “while the chimpanzee has been a valuable animal model in past research, most current use of chimpanzees for biomedical research is unnecessary.” The committee also concluded, however, that the following areas may continue to require the use of chimpanzees: some ongoing research on monoclonal antibody therapies, research on comparative genomics, and non-invasive studies of social and behavioral factors that affect the development, prevention, or treatment of disease. The committee was unable to reach consensus on the necessity of the chimpanzee for the development of prophylactic hepatitis C virus vaccine. While the committee encouraged NIH to continue development of non-chimpanzee models and technologies, it acknowledged that new, emerging, or re-emerging diseases may present challenges that may require the use of chimpanzees. 

The NIH Director, Francis Collins, has accepted the recommendations of the report and will put in place a high level committee out of the NIH Council of Councils to provide advice on how to implement the IOM recommendations. We soon will be informing you through the NIH Guide on how applications and awards that propose or include the use of chimpanzees will be handled while implementation of the IOM report is being considered. We will not be issuing any new competing awards that involve chimpanzees during this period.

Thank you to the IOM for its exceptionally thoughtful assessment of this important issue. It was not an easy task, and they should be commended for the depth and seriousness of their conclusions.

Update 12/22: Here is the link to information about NIH research involving chimpanzees.