There is currently a bill before the Australian Parliament, introduced by Green Party senator Lee Rhiannon, proposing to ban the importation of non-human primates (NHPs) for research purposes.
In preparation for the hearing of the bill in Parliament in February, the European Animal Research Association helped mobilise the European scientific community to stand up in support of NHP research. We, and other organisations in our network, wrote a letter to the Australian Parliament (submission 57) explaining the role and importance of NHP research and asked to oppose the bill.
James Bourne is a scientist working with NHPs at the Monash University’s Biomedicine Discovery Institute in Melbourne and chairman of the Australian National Non-human Primate Breeding and Research Facility Board. In an article published in the Guardian today, he explains the importance of NHP research and the stakes at risk if we leave anti animal research challenges unattended.