How many monkeys are imported into the United States each year? For what purposes
does this happen? Which government agency(ies) are responsible for overseeing these facilities? How long are monkeys quarantined before distribution?
Each year about 16,000 monkeys are imported into the United States. About 30 different species are tested each year. Mostly studied are the Old World monkeys. They mostly come from China, India, Philippines and Africa. This happens because they play an important role in the advancement of human and animal health. They are critical to biomedical research targeting causes, progression, prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases. They are mostly needed for vaccine testing. Government agencies such as CDC, NPRC’s are responsible for overseeing these facilities. These facilities minimize the need for importing animals from the wild to ensure that the monkeys don’t come in contact with pathogens which can make them sick and disrupt the whole research process. These monkeys are quarantined for a month before distribution to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Because sometimes some monkeys are caught from the wild and researchers need to make sure that they don’t have any infectious diseases that the other monkeys can catch. For a month, researchers do tests on these monkeys to make sure they are healthy to be used in their biomedical research. These primates are studied because they serve as models of particular processes that is impossible to study in humans. It’s also contributed to our understanding of reproduction, AIDS, development of drugs, treatment and vaccines. http://ca-biomed.org/pdf/media-kit/fact-sheets/fs-primate.pdf
There are many ethical issues that coincide with the importation of primates into the united states. Recently animal advocacy groups have been drawing more attention to some of these issues, such as the living conditions and the psychological well being of the animals. The monkeys being used for research into infectious disease are isolated in quarters that provide easy access and easy cleaning with little to no regard for the well being of the animal, oftentimes long periods of time in isolation will cause the monkey to become depressed and engage in psychotic behaviors. In 1985 congress under the AWA act ruled that the psychological well being of monkeys used for research must be addressed, however due to the vagueness of the ruling not new standards have been enforced regarding the treatment of these primates. Questions and Answers About Monkeys used in Research : The Humane Society of the United States. (2009, September 8). Retrieved May 18, 2015, from http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/monkeys/qa/questions_answers.html
Hi Sindarvini, it seems that Sophia pointed out some ethical issues with testing on primates. Do you agree with testing on primates? What are your concerns in regards to this and how should the government address them?
Well, it’s a very controversial topic to talk about because primates are tested on because their brains share structural and functional features like the human brain, but this has some difficult ethical problems because these primates experience pain and suffering in ways that is similar to humans. Human beings are recognized as persons and protected by the law but non-human primates are not seen as people and therefore their individual interests are not recognized or protected. Humans don’t want to be tested on because they don’t want to experience the pain so they test it on primates. I feel that it’s not good to test on primates because even though they can’t speak they feel the same pain as we do. The government should look into this deeper and understand the consequences of testing on primates and not testing on primates. Because there are two consequences, if we don’t test on primates then how would we know about a particular virus but if we do test on them then we’re putting their lives in danger.
Just as Sindervani states, monkeys are crucial to biomedical research and contribute to many successes in the pharmaceutical field. However, importing monkey specimen poses huge ethical issues in medical culture. Nonhuman primates used for experiments are often treated as “disposable pieces of laboratory equipment” (PETA). They are so often materialized as experimental pieces that scientists forget that they are living, breathing organisms. Apart from the physical abuse, being kept in captivity elicit fear, loneliness, frustration, and stress in monkeys. Most, if not all, experimental subjects are killed and abused in these laboratories, laboratories where your typical pain relief drugs and the unusual viral vaccines are created. Some monkeys are forced to live about their lives with severe brain damage caused by invasive brain experiments, all to benefit the species abusing them: Humans.
Thanks for the nice blog. It was very useful for me. I'm happy I found this blog. Thank you for sharing with us,I too always learn something new from your post. drug alcohol treatment center
Each year about 16,000 monkeys are imported into the United States. About 30 different species are tested each year. Mostly studied are the Old World monkeys. They mostly come from China, India, Philippines and Africa. This happens because they play an important role in the advancement of human and animal health. They are critical to biomedical research targeting causes, progression, prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases. They are mostly needed for vaccine testing. Government agencies such as CDC, NPRC’s are responsible for overseeing these facilities. These facilities minimize the need for importing animals from the wild to ensure that the monkeys don’t come in contact with pathogens which can make them sick and disrupt the whole research process. These monkeys are quarantined for a month before distribution to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Because sometimes some monkeys are caught from the wild and researchers need to make sure that they don’t have any infectious diseases that the other monkeys can catch. For a month, researchers do tests on these monkeys to make sure they are healthy to be used in their biomedical research. These primates are studied because they serve as models of particular processes that is impossible to study in humans. It’s also contributed to our understanding of reproduction, AIDS, development of drugs, treatment and vaccines.
ReplyDeletehttp://ca-biomed.org/pdf/media-kit/fact-sheets/fs-primate.pdf
There are many ethical issues that coincide with the importation of primates into the united states. Recently animal advocacy groups have been drawing more attention to some of these issues, such as the living conditions and the psychological well being of the animals. The monkeys being used for research into infectious disease are isolated in quarters that provide easy access and easy cleaning with little to no regard for the well being of the animal, oftentimes long periods of time in isolation will cause the monkey to become depressed and engage in psychotic behaviors. In 1985 congress under the AWA act ruled that the psychological well being of monkeys used for research must be addressed, however due to the vagueness of the ruling not new standards have been enforced regarding the treatment of these primates.
DeleteQuestions and Answers About Monkeys used in Research : The Humane Society of the United States. (2009, September 8). Retrieved May 18, 2015, from http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/monkeys/qa/questions_answers.html
Hi Sindarvini, it seems that Sophia pointed out some ethical issues with testing on primates. Do you agree with testing on primates? What are your concerns in regards to this and how should the government address them?
DeleteWell, it’s a very controversial topic to talk about because primates are tested on because their brains share structural and functional features like the human brain, but this has some difficult ethical problems because these primates experience pain and suffering in ways that is similar to humans. Human beings are recognized as persons and protected by the law but non-human primates are not seen as people and therefore their individual interests are not recognized or protected. Humans don’t want to be tested on because they don’t want to experience the pain so they test it on primates. I feel that it’s not good to test on primates because even though they can’t speak they feel the same pain as we do. The government should look into this deeper and understand the consequences of testing on primates and not testing on primates. Because there are two consequences, if we don’t test on primates then how would we know about a particular virus but if we do test on them then we’re putting their lives in danger.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJust as Sindervani states, monkeys are crucial to biomedical research and contribute to many successes in the pharmaceutical field. However, importing monkey specimen poses huge ethical issues in medical culture. Nonhuman primates used for experiments are often treated as “disposable pieces of laboratory equipment” (PETA). They are so often materialized as experimental pieces that scientists forget that they are living, breathing organisms. Apart from the physical abuse, being kept in captivity elicit fear, loneliness, frustration, and stress in monkeys. Most, if not all, experimental subjects are killed and abused in these laboratories, laboratories where your typical pain relief drugs and the unusual viral vaccines are created. Some monkeys are forced to live about their lives with severe brain damage caused by invasive brain experiments, all to benefit the species abusing them: Humans.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice blog. It was very useful for me. I'm happy I found this blog. Thank you for sharing with us,I too always learn something new from your post.
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