Question

Chimpanzees are one of our closest living relatives. As such, chimps provide a good physical model for understanding the impact of disease and trauma in humans. Chimps have been a part of biomedical research since the early 1900s. Some advances that came of chimp experiments include a vaccine for Hepatitis B and treatments for symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Scientists argue that chimps are critical for finding vaccines for other diseases such as Hepatitis C and Ebola. During experiments, chimps are infected with diseases, given high-risk drug treatments, and painful surgeries, and they often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Lab chimps live their entire lives in cages and are usually cut off from any social interaction with other chimps. Recently, activists have made advances towards getting lab chimps “retired” to sanctuaries such as Chimp Haven as compensation for their contribution to science. In 2005, the New York Blood Center (NYBC) publicly announced that all of their lab chimps would be “retired” and supported in a sanctuary outside Liberia known as Monkey Island. The NYBC conducted experiments on chimpanzees for 30 years and made advances in the treatment of viral infections (and a lot of money). However, Monkey Island doesn’t have adequate food or water supplies so the chimps rely upon humans for survival. The estimated cost of providing for the chimps is $30,000 per month. In March 2015, the NYBC announced it was no longer financially supporting the retired chimps, leaving them to face dehydration and starvation. What are your thoughts on this situation? How is it viewed from both sides (the NYBC and chimp activists)? If these NHPs were considered “persons,” which bioethical principles would be violated in this case study? (select all that apply) informed consent Compensation Protection against harms and risks Justice for participants Disclosure of conflicts of interest by the researchers

Chimpanzees are one of our closest living relatives. As such, chimps provide a good physical model for understanding the impact of disease and trauma in humans. Chimps have been a part of biomedical research since the early 1900s. Some advances that came of chimp experiments include a vaccine for Hepatitis B and treatments for symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Scientists argue that chimps are critical for finding vaccines for other diseases such as Hepatitis C and Ebola. During experiments, chimps are infected with diseases, given high-risk drug treatments, and painful surgeries, and they often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Lab chimps live their entire lives in cages and are usually cut off from any social interaction with other chimps. Recently, activists have made advances towards getting lab chimps “retired” to sanctuaries such as Chimp Haven as compensation for their contribution to science.

In 2005, the New York Blood Center (NYBC) publicly announced that all of their lab chimps would be “retired” and supported in a sanctuary outside Liberia known as Monkey Island. The NYBC conducted experiments on chimpanzees for 30 years and made advances in the treatment of viral infections (and a lot of money). However, Monkey Island doesn’t have adequate food or water supplies so the chimps rely upon humans for survival. The estimated cost of providing for the chimps is $30,000 per month. In March 2015, the NYBC announced it was no longer financially supporting the retired chimps, leaving them to face dehydration and starvation. What are your thoughts on this situation? How is it viewed from both sides (the NYBC and chimp activists)? If these NHPs were considered “persons,” which bioethical principles would be violated in this case study? (select all that apply) informed consent Compensation Protection against harms and risks Justice for participants Disclosure of conflicts of interest by the researchers

Added by Stephanie C.

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