English summary

Summary: Apes in experiments

Chimpanzees are so close to us genetically that some scientists have suggested they be reclassified alongside humans. However comparisons of genes and immune systems has shown that this close family connection is not close enough for us to rely on the results of chimpanzee experiments for human safety.

The US rushed to use chimpanzees for AIDS research in the 1980s; it was unsuccessful, research followed a different course. This left a huge financial burden and a chimpanzee welfare crisis.

The world has steadily abandoned the use of apes in laboratories; in the UK and elsewhere, use of apes has been banned for many years and currently no apes are used in Europe. This leaves only the USA with apes in laboratories. In 2007 the US NIH ended the breeding of chimpanzees for research.

In its new Directive on animal research, the European Commission proposed an end to apes in laboratories, but this has been eroded by an “exception”. Those with a vested interest have argued that they may want to use apes in the future, citing for example, preservation of endangered species.

This is a specious argument, it is not practical, nor is it a scientifically sound concept. There would be no point of comparison for laboratory apes; conservation takes place in the environment, and the main threats to endangered apes come from human activity.

Some primate species differences

Modern research takes place at the genetic and cellular level, where new technology allows greater precision than ever before. The fundamental flaw of animal research (an idea now over one hundred years old), is that each species responds differently to chemicals, drugs or other products. This is because of the biological and genetic differences between species. It means that we cannot rely upon the outcome of animal tests. For example:

Non-human primates are distinct from us in the way they express genes in the brain, with even major differences between ourselves and chimpanzees.
Human brains have a folded cerebral cortex (a gyrencephalic brain) whereas smaller primates, such as the marmoset, have a smooth cerebral cortex (a lissencephalic brain). There are anatomical differences between these and evidence suggests functional differences, too.
Lower and higher primates differ from one another by a number of structural features in their nervous systems and sense organs.
The role of the hippocampus in human memory was complicated by findings from monkeys and other animals, until its role was established in 1986 from human study.
Gout is caused by excess uric acid, which is produced in monkeys, apes and humans, but only humans get gout.
HIV can infect chimpanzees and rabbits, but does not induce disease. Human beings are the only species to have been found to be susceptible to HIV.
The way drugs break down and are excreted are similar in monkeys and humans, but metabolism rates differ radically.
The drug chloramphenicol does not have the adverse effect in monkeys and dogs that has occured in humans.
Herpes B virus in monkeys may cause lesions on the face, lips, mouth and body, but they can carry the virus without suffering the disease. In humans, the disease is rare, but almost always fatal.
The drug azauracil caused no apparent toxic effects in monkeys; in humans, it produced such unpleasant side effects that it had to be taken out of use.
Aspirin causes birth defects in monkeys, but has been widely used by pregnant women and has not been shown to produce any kind of malformation.