AAVS News

Special interest groups promoting animal research have been pressuring Congress to fund the expansion of breeding programs at the National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs)—programs that would produce more monkeys for painful and unnecessary experiments. Although the NPRCs have a history of gross negligence and Animal Welfare Act penalties, the Senate Appropriations Committee believes it’s fitting to allocate $30 million to the National Institutes of Health to expand the primate breeding at the NPRCs.

It’s likely that once back in session, Congress will move quickly to pass the FY2026 budget, so it’s important to act now to ensure this funding is not included in the final appropriations bill.

Why this funding must be rejected:

• More than 104,800 primates were used or held in U.S. labs in 2024—many subjected to invasive procedures that cause immense suffering.

• Over 90% of drugs tested on animals (including primates) fail in human trials, proving that animals are not a reliable “model” for humans.

• Human-relevant research methods—such as organ-on-a-chip, genomics, proteomics, and advanced cell-based models—offer better science and real potential for medical breakthroughs. AAVS’s affiliate, the Alternatives Research & Development Foundation, funds the development and use of non-animal methods.

• Primates are wild animals who endure severe psychological and physical distress when confined to laboratory cages.

Researchers and their lobbying allies have failed to secure funding for more breeding in the past. Let’s make sure they fail again! Please act now to help prevent innocent animals from suffering in labs by urging your members of Congress to oppose any funding to expand primate breeding programs in the FY2026 federal budget.